Harry Potter and the Altar of Life
by Dory's human replica
Summary: This is my version of the sixth book no slash, more magic and, hopefully, a great story! Harry is facing more problems than ever before and the Order is being picked off. Hogwarts welcomes an old friend back to teach and all goes mad!
1. Default Chapter

**Harry Potter and the I have yet to give it a name**

****

**SUMMARY: -** Year 6 for Harry and co. and things don't look good. I am sooooooo hoping to finish this before J.K. Rowling finishes her book 6. DADA sees a friendly face and everyone is trying, and failing, to cope with Sirius' death.

**DISCLAIMER: -** I still don't own any of the wonderful characters or any of the dazzling settings……shame, really!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: -** Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Dory's human replica is still here and ready to roll on her next fic!  Rubs hands in evil manner Have fun……because I'll be back!!!!!!!!

**1- The ****Reunion******

No one could have guessed upon first glance that Harry Potter was anything special. He was just an average sixteen year old, well, to most of the neighbours he was a criminal, a filthy example of how low humans could stoop! He was leaning against the fence in the local park, just thinking of Hogwarts and how much he wished he was back there. He wanted to see Hermione and Ron again. Once again, his summer had been a dismal and thoroughly un-enjoyable. He gazed up at the slowly darkening sky. As he felt a few solitary raindrops on his forehead, he thought of Sirius. He felt a burning anger for Bellatrix Lestrange (Sirius' cousin) who had murdered him at the end of Harry's fifth year. He kicked a foot against the fence and then attacked it more and more violently until he pulled the mesh off the poles He sank down on to his knees and yelled, angry tears welling up in his eyes.

"IT'S NOT FAIR! HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DIED! WHY WAS IT HIM!? I HATE MY LIFE!" Harry shook the mesh of the fence so hard that he didn't hear a clunk behind him.

"Bit harsh there, Potter!" a growling voice was behind him said. Harry turned.

"M…Moody??? Professor Moody? What are…?"

"The Order needs to speak to you."

"Who…I mean…how many of you are here?"

"Me, Molly and Remus."

"Where are they?" Harry asked, looking round.

"Trying to reason with your aunt and uncle. When I left, it was your aunt and Molly yelling at each other."

"And Lupin and my Uncle?"

"Likewise, though it seemed to be bordering on a fist fight!" Moody edged closer to Harry and then pulled his arm and marched him back to the Dursleys' house at Number Four, Privet Drive. There was shouting and screaming coming from inside, followed by a shout, then a smash. Another scream followed. It was clearly made by Molly Weasley and an incantation was made by a male voice. Harry guessed it was Lupin because Moody muttered something rather rude and sprinted up the driveway, but before he could reach the door, an almighty roar echoed through the house and there was a yell as something…or someone…was thrown into the door. Moody barged into the house and was met by two cowering women, Vernon Dursley covered in blood and obviously suffering from shock – Harry knew that this was because he had been levitated and slammed into the banister (it was broken!), but when Harry turned to see what the others were staring at. It was Lupin, and he was in a heap and shook as he tried to get to his feet. Moody went over to support him and there was anger in Lupin's face that Harry had never seen before. He tried once again to launch himself at Vernon but was restrained by Moody. 

"For Merlin's sake Lupin, calm yourself!"

"Let GO of me Moody!" Lupin was struggling against Moody's grip but to no avail. Moody wasn't going to let go in a hurry. His magical eye was swivelling to the two horror stricken women and then to Vernon, who was purple faced with rage, his veins standing out on his temples. He was breathing heavily and he pointed his short stubby finger at Moody, who was still struggling to hold Lupin back, and brought his face up close to Moody's.

"You…get that…thing," he gestured off-handedly at Lupin, "OUT of my house…and don't come back!" Vernon looked like an overgrown plumb about to burst and he turned to Harry with a cold look in his eyes but before he could say anything Lupin felt the need to spit at Vernon's back…he got him…square in the neck.

      Vernon wheeled round in fury and, as Moody stepped in-between him and Lupin, threw Moody against the wall and advanced on an already rather bruised Lupin.

"You are a freak…get out of my house," he raised his fist, "GET OUT!" But as he moved closer, Lupin backed up the stairs, his eyes fixed on Harry's uncle.

"I'm getting Harry's things…and don't even _think_ about stopping me!" He turned and ran into Harry's room, only to emerge moments later carrying Harry's, magically packed, trunk. "Come on Harry! Molly, help Alastor and let's go." With that, Lupin grabbed Harry's shoulder and shoved him outside. He waited for Molly and Moody to get out before slamming the door in the Dursleys' faces.

   They travelled in complete silence until they reached a deserted alleyway and Lupin took hold of Harry's arm.

"Hold on Harry. Hogwarts, here we come."

"But Professor…." Harry was about to point out that you couldn't apparate on Hogwarts grounds but Lupin had already sent them whirling through a vortex of bright colours and in seconds they arrived outside the gates of Hogwarts. They had to walk the rest of the way. When they reached the castle, they made their way up to McGonagall's office. Halfway there, they were stopped by Dumbledore. His face was unusually solemn and there was no twinkle in his eyes.

"Remus, a word in my office if you please. Harry – if you would be so kind as to come also. Molly and Alastor, could you two please take Harry's trunk to his dormitory and then proceed to the staffroom where we shall meet you."

      They got to Dumbledore's office and sat down. He stroked Fawkes softly and then looked over his half-moon glasses at Harry and Lupin.

"Remus, the ministry of magic are on your tail because of a certain incident…"

"If it's to do with Vernon Dursley then he deserved it!"

"No Remus…it is not about that. I have spoken to the ministry and to the parents of many Hogwarts students and they have all agreed that it is best for the school and its students if we re-instate you as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I feel that it was a bad move to let you resign three years ago and to let Severus tell your secret."

"Professor, I…I… don't know if I can…I mean with Sirius dead…and my lycanthropy…"

"Please Remus, it's all sorted on the lycanthropy front and I'm certain Sirius wouldn't want you wasting your life."

"Then what have I got to lose? I'll take it!" Lupin beamed at Harry who beamed back.

   Suddenly, and without warning, Lupin buckled and clutched at his stomach before falling of his chair and onto his knees. Then his eyes rolled into his head and he went rigid and started twitching. Dumbledore rose and was by Lupin's side in an instant. Harry watched in terror, not knowing what to do until Dumbledore instructed him.

"Harry, get me a glass of cold water and then come back with it and I will instruct you further."

Harry did as he was told and when he got back Lupin had his eyes open and was sitting up while Dumbledore was talking gently to him. Lupin looked round when Harry re-entered the office. He gave Harry a weak smile before Dumbledore helped him to his feet. Lupin drank the water and Harry kept glancing nervously at him. Lupin saw Harry's concerned glances and explained that it had been because he had been splintered with silver when Vernon Dursley had thrown a thin silver glass at him. The silver had got into his bloodstream and he had passed out from the poisoning. Thankfully, Dumbledore had had some purging potion to eliminate it and it was successful. Lupin and Harry went their separate ways and Harry headed off to the dorms. Whatever he expected, it wasn't to find Ron and Hermione along with Ginny in the common room.

"Ron, Hermione, Ginny, what are you all doing here? Aren't you meant to be at Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked.

"No, Mum thought it would be best if we kept you company here at Hogwarts."

"That's brilliant; my holidays are looking up already!" Harry laughed. He composed himself and continued, "You'll never believe what's happening this year…"

"Try us" Ron challenged him.

"Lupin's coming back to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts again. Dumbledore's sorted it all out; even the parents of Hogwarts students have been convinced!" Harry felt a satisfied grin creep on to his face as he saw their shocked reactions.

"What did the ministry have to say?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Nothing, I suppose it's because they don't want to supply a teacher because the stakes have just been made so much higher and they don't want to lose a member of the ministry." Harry said.

"That's evil!" Ginny burst out, "What the ministry mean to say is 'Oh you can employ the werewolf! We don't care…better him losing his life than a member of our ministry! Ooh, wait till Dad hears about this! He'll go absolutely _nuts!_"

    Everyone stared at her, awestruck. Her hair was messy and her face was red. She was usually very shy and an outburst like this was very rare. She cleared her throat and sat down in a plump, squishy chair. Silence filled the common room and the silence was only broken when Lupin's head appeared in the fireplace calling them to dinner. They went without speaking and Harry took a seat next to Lupin and they talked animatedly while they waited for their food. After eating, the guard Harry had met the previous summer arrived and escorted him to the Gryffindor tower. The sight of a load of full grown adults sleeping in the students' dorms was reasonably amusing. Nymphadora Tonks, Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance slept in Hermione's dorm and Ginny joined them. In a dorm with Harry and Ron were Mad Eye Moody, Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Mundungus Fletcher.  Harry's dorm was kept awake all night by the three oldest wizards' snoring. Harry and Ron went down into the common room and were joined shortly afterwards by Lupin who was having trouble ignoring the snorers as well. He had evidently been eavesdropping on the stairs before he showed himself to Harry and Ron. They sat in silence but it was broken by Harry.

"Professor Lupin?"

"Hmmm?"

"When's the next full moon?"

"In 4 days. Why?"

"So it will be before the start of term then. Will you go to the Shrieking Shack?"

"Yeah. Even though I will be under the effects of the Wolfsbane potion."

"If we came across you when you were under the effects of the potion what would happen?"

"Nothing, I'd be completely harmless. Like a wolf shaped dog! Don't get any ideas Harry, I don't want you coming."

"Why?"

"Because…………"

"That's not a proper reason!"

"Harry, I don't want you to have to see the transformation."

"Is it painful?" Ron piped up from a corner.

"More painful than you will ever know." Lupin said, giving them a weak and half-hearted smile, "Sirius' death hasn't helped things either." Lupin smiled again, his young face looked more tired than Harry had ever seen it. Lupin caught Harry's look and raised his eyebrows, "I think I can look after myself now thanks Harry!"

"I didn't say…How did you know what I was thinking?" Harry was utterly bewildered. Lupin just laughed.

"Like father like son!" he grinned broadly, "I could always tell what James was going to say before he said it so I figured I could probably do it to you as well!"

Harry looked at Lupin and a new respect dawned between them as the smiled at each other in the firelight. They heard a clunking noise coming down the stairs. It was Mad-Eye Moody, who had apparently decided to join them and tell them stories of his days as an Auror. He told them about how the Order had formed and even though a few of the many stories were interesting, Harry and Ron were almost asleep. Lupin had left a few stories previously…apparently, he had to go and speak to Dumbledore at 4:00am!!!!

Moody finally went back up to bed and Lupin re-entered the room only five minutes later grinning sympathetically at them.

"Sorry I couldn't get you out as well!" he said "I was waiting out in the corridor and I went for a walk and used some of the extendable ears that I found in your trunk, Ron!!!! When I heard the stories end, I came back so that I could go back to bed without being asked to listen to the stories I missed!"

"You little" Harry started indignantly.

"Be careful, Harry…I'm your teacher again now so you have to watch your language!"

"Yeah, right! I'm going to bed."

"Me too…"Ron yawned.

"You know what? I think I'm going to have to join you." Lupin raised his eyebrows. They all headed up to bed, and as all was silent in the Hogwarts grounds save for the chorus of snoring, the hooting of owls and the scuffle as a solitary rat made it's way, slinking, across the dew-sodden grass and into it's tunnel under the castle.


	2. Wormtail's Return

**A/N: - **I'm not gonna waffle on so enjoy this next chapter and review for me at the end of it! Thank you!

****

**2 – Wormtail's Return**

  Harry shrieked as the freezing water came into contact with his body. He sprung out of bed and put his glasses on, looking round to see the culprit. Next to him was a sopping wet Ron and a grinning Lupin. However, he too was wet and dripping.

"What happened?" Harry gasped through his shivers.

"Tonks, Hermione and Ginny snuck in here and have poured a bucket of iced water over each of our heads because we wouldn't wake up when Moody and the others tried to wake us!" Ron answered.

"However," Lupin said, shooting Tonks an evil look, "I told them about the other members of our dorm and they've been apologising ever since!"

"Then why did they wake me up like it if they're apologising?!"

"Because it wouldn't have been fair to wake Remus and Ron like it and to not wake you!" Tonks said cheerfully. She looked sharply to the foot of a chair and saw a pink tail disappear under it. Ginny saw it too and screamed as did Tonks. They leapt onto a chair and Hermione ran back up the stairs and stayed up there. Lupin saw the rat make a dart for it and he stunned it.

_"Stupefy!" _He picked up the rat and dangled it in front of his face by the tail. "Why hello _Wormtail_. How did you get here…through the sewage pipes?" Lupin threw the rat down and it transformed into a small man with puffy eyes and a balding head. He squealed and turned to leave, his cloak wrapped tightly around him. Lupin stepped in his way.

"What's wrong Wormtail?" he said as Wormtail tried to edge round him "too afraid to fight?" Lupin's eyes were alight with hatred. Harry knew what was coming but before he could warn his Professor, Wormtail had brought out his hands and thrown his cloak back. He grabbed Lupin by the shoulder with one hand and Lupin's left wrist in his other. Lupin cried out and dropped his wand. Wormtail brought Lupin's hand up in front of him.

"Look at my hand, Moony…isn't it pretty? Soon, your wand hand will be disabled and then I can concentrate on getting this silver hand around…your…neck!"

Lupin struggled against Wormtail. He felt his hand losing power, and he knew that it would only be a few minutes before he would never be able to use it again. Not that it mattered, he would be dead soon anyway. He tried to pull away again but to no avail.

    Harry couldn't just stand by and watch so he launched himself at Pettigrew's back and dragged him away from Lupin. Lupin clutched his wrist but kicked out at Pettigrew's behind. Pettigrew transformed into a rat again and fell to the floor. He scrambled up Harry's leg and over his head. He made a jump for the dresser and landed on the top of it. He slid down the leg of it and scurried under and back into the safety of his tunnel.

The girls climbed off of the chairs and the three older wizards came bounding into the common room. Lupin headed off to the hospital wing with Kingsley and met the others in Dumbledore's office with his arm in a sling half an hour later. He reassured the anxious faces in front of him that there was no lasting damage to his arm. Lupin did, however, say that if the classes wanted him teaching instead of a supply for the first few lessons then they would have to be very good and not cause any trouble involving the destruction of his classroom or office!!!! This was partly because it would be a couple of weeks before he would be able to use his left arm again and also because the next full moon was just before the start of term.

  Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were waiting in the entrance of Flourish and Blotts for Mrs. Weasley, who had just left to fetch some money from Gringotts Wizarding Bank. When she got back, they headed into the shop with their lists for the next years books. On the list this year was:-

_List of Books for Sixth Years at_

_Hogwarts__School__ of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Complex potions for advanced makers by Leonard Deckevy_

_Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk_

_Dark Creatures and Deadly Curses by Delim Mastarsheek_

_Reading__ in the stars – the Future uncovered by Leyla Misteeque_

_Charms and other such jinxes by William Minkslard_

_Herbs and Healing by Rosemary Love_

_Stargazing for Astronomers by Sally Slinkhard_

_Magical Animals and their habitat by David Mosco_

_How to Cope under extreme pressure by Ilona Topkins_

They walked into Flourish and Blotts and stumbled into none other that Draco Malfoy. It strongly reminded Harry of a scene in his Second year. Only this time Malfoy's father wasn't with him.

"Hello Potter. I'm glad that you finally got rid of your _fleas_."

"If that's another snide remark about my godfather then I don't have to listen to it." Harry growled. "Anyway, I don't see your precious father anywhere do you?"

"I'll get you for this, Potter. In case you're forgetting, I'm a prefect and you're not. You'll be in detention before the year is up!"

  He laughed and strode out of the shop leaving Harry and his friends standing by the Potions books.

"C'mon Ron, Hermione," Harry mumbled, heading to the till to pay for his books.

After buying all the books they needed they went to Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. This was because they were going to need some robes for the upcoming year as they had all grown out of their robes. The Leaky Cauldron and had a Butterbeer each. Harry was overjoyed to be back there. It had been so long since he had felt the warm sensation of Butterbeer sliding down his throat. They left for Hogsmeade via floo powder. They were thrown forward one by one into the warm, musty smelling bar of the Three Broomsticks. They greeted Madam Rosmerta, the barmaid, before setting off on the long walk to the school. Laughing and joking, they hardly noticed the large amount of full to bursting bags they were carrying, and arrived back at Hogwarts a few hours to see the school more busy than usual. The place was in an uproar. Students from Harry's year were crowding to get in through the doors, which had been thrown wide open. Neville had spotted Harry and he waved madly, tugging at his Grandmother who also turned and gave a small wave. She seemed to look somewhat less frightening than she had when they had met her in St. Mungo's Hospital in their fifth year. Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried over to them.

"Hi Neville, how are you?" Ron asked cheerfully.

"I'm fine."

"How was your holiday?" Harry asked. After all, it can't have been much worse than Harry's had been. Whatever reply he was expecting, it wasn't the one he got.

"My holiday was brilliant! Mum and Dad can recite the alphabet again, _and _they can count to twenty _and _remember their two times table!" Neville seemed so overjoyed at this that Harry couldn't help smiling. It sounded like his parents were making a very slow and steady recovery after so many years of being trapped inside their own heads. They finally had an outlet for their feelings.

 Suddenly, Hermione uttered a small gasp as she realised why the other students were there. It was so painfully apparent, too much so, in fact. How could she, Hermione, smartest student in her year and maybe even the school, have missed it?

Today was the day that they were going to be collecting their OWL results.


	3. OWL Results

****

**3 – OWL results**

The delay in the results had been caused by events with the Order but Dumbledore's excuse had been that the return of Voldemort had delayed the marking because of the examiners needing to attend meetings. Harry ran to catch up with Hermione, Ron hot on his tail. He reached the castle and tried to spot Hermione among the enormous crowd. It was impossible! There was no way that he would be able to spot her. Suddenly, the crowd died down as some of the students' names were read out and they were each sent to different rooms to collect their results. He and Hermione were both sent to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Poor Ron was sent to the Potions lab to collect his results from Snape. This was obviously because he was near the bottom of the alphabet.

Harry and Hermione were met at the door by a smiling Lupin. When everyone on his list had arrived, he made his way to the front of the class and raised his voice above the chattering students.

"Excuse me everybody! I know you're excited but if you could please be quiet while I give out your results then I would be very grateful." He paused, waiting for the noise to die down. Then, he picked up an envelope and took a series of smaller envelopes out of it. He removed the elastic band holding them together and began to read names.

Everything passed in a blur until his name was called. Hermione jabbed him with one finger. She was, Harry noticed, clutching an envelope in her left hand. Harry rose and collected his envelope and sat down again. He lost track of time until a sharp bell rang indicating that they could open their results. With a trembling hand, Harry tore open the top and pulled out a slip of paper. McGonagall's words from the previous year rang in his ears. He had just said he wanted to be an Auror.

_"It's a difficult career path Potter. They only take on the best."_

Harry's future depended on these results. He brought his eyes into focus and read down the list of results.

_Ordinary Wizarding Levels Results for Harry James Potter_

_Astronomy……………………….……………………… A _

_Care of Magical Creatures….….......…………………E_

_Charms………………………………………………… O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts...……………………O_

_Divination………….……..………………………… P_

_Herbology………….…..……………………………E_

_History of Magic..........…………….................... O_

_Potions…...………..……………………………… O_

_Transfiguration……………………………………O_

_Congratulations on your results. We hope you are satisfied and that your results will help and not hinder the career path you wish to pursue._

_Signed_

_Matilda Gothfirk_

Harry stared at his paper in amazement. He, Harry Potter, had achieved five Outstanding OWLs. This meant that he could continue in his attempt to become an Auror. For one glorious second, Harry Potter felt like he was on his way to the top. He was brought back to Earth with a bump by a shriek from Hermione piercing his blissful thoughts. She was waving her paper in his face. She was flushed and breathless. She looked like she had been out in the freezing cold for too long.

"Look! Look! Harry, snap out of it and look!" she cried. She was practically jumping up and down on the spot. He took her paper as his was rapidly snatched out of his hand. It read:-

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results for Hermione Ann Granger_

_Ancient Runes…………………………O_

_Astronomy………………………………O_

_Arithmancy………………………………O_

_Care of Magical Creatures……………O_

_Charms……………………………………O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts…………O_

_Herbology…………………………………O_

_History of Magic……………………………O_

_Potions………………………………………O_

_Transfiguration………………………………O_

_Congratulations on your results. We hope you are satisfied and that your results will help and not hinder the career path you wish to pursue._

_Signed_

_Matilda Gothfirk_

Harry was thrilled for Hermione, he really was, but he couldn't help but feel a small twinge of jealousy. She could have anything she wanted. He looked up at her and smiled, hoping it didn't look too unreal. They left the classroom in search of Ron. They remembered that when fifth years collected their OWL results their parents had the chance to speak to teachers about their child's progress and about which NEWTs they would be taking in their seventh year.

They found Ron and he showed them his results with a slightly red face.

_Ordinary Wizarding Levels Results for Ronald Patrick Arthur Weasley_

_Astronomy……………………….……………………… A _

_Care of Magical Creatures….….......…………………A_

_Charms………………………………………………… A_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts...……………………O_

_Divination………….……..………………………… P_

_Herbology………….…..……………………………E_

_History of Magic..........…………….................... A_

_Potions…...………..……………………………… A_

_Transfiguration……………………………………E_

_Congratulations on your results. We hope you are satisfied and that your results will help and not hinder the career path you wish to pursue._

_Signed_

_Matilda Gothfirk_

"Well done, Ron!" Hermione said, and it seemed genuine.

"Yeah, well done, mate!" Harry said, thumping Ron on the back. Ron's face reddened, starting with his ears and slowly filling up the rest of his face. Maybe his results weren't as good as his or Hermione's but they were better than were expected, certainly by Ron's standards – _and_ he had got one Outstanding OWL in possibly the most important subject in the curriculum. Harry, Hermione and Ron found Neville who had managed to pass Herbology with flying colours and yet he failed potions abysmally. He passed Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures and he also scraped through Charms. He failed Divination and History of Magic. He also failed Astronomy and scraped a pass in Transfiguration. He was over the moon as was his Grandmother. All in all, it seemed that most students were satisfied with their results and most of the parents had now stopped screaming with joy and were interviewing the teachers. The trio left Neville and his Grandmother to go to the greenhouse to talk to Professor Sprout while they made their way to Hagrid's cabin. The only problem was; Hagrid wasn't there.

**A/N: -** Hope you enjoyed that! And a big thank-you to my new reviewer, ClearGreenWater: - I am glad you're glad I brought Lupin back because I was glad to bring Lupin back, if that makes sense!


	4. The New Kitchen Staff

**4 – The New Kitchen Staff**

****

Hagrid's disappearance was sudden and unexpected. He wasn't on another mission for Dumbledore, and he certainly hadn't told anyone where he was going. The start of term was tomorrow and Hagrid had only been gone for a few hours. None of the Order knew where he was and they had all headed back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. The house elves had said that they'd seen him leaving his cabin at 4amthat very morning. The rumours had reached the ears of Hogwarts that the Shrieking Shack's 'ghosts' had returned. This news had caused Harry to smile for a short while. He knew better than to believe these rumours as did many of the other students. There were many smug grins passed from pupil to pupil as they remembered who was back teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again and also that it had been a full moon that night.

The feast was as wonderful as ever and even Hermione had to admit that the house elves had surpassed themselves this year. It was after the feast that Dumbledore stood up and rung a small bell to get everyone's attention.

"I would like to draw your attention to the magnificent feast we have had put in front of us this evening. I would also like to congratulate our brand new kitchen staff. Although I regret to announce that some of the house elves were killed in an ambush on Hogwarts near the beginning of the holidays. We have hired some new staff that were desperate for jobs. They are skilled cooks who were fired from the ministry last year for supporting me so, naturally, I hired them for Hogwarts. We still have our house elves to cook meals on our cooks' days off and they will still be at Hogwarts. I would like a moment of silence for the house elves that were mercilessly murdered as they tried to protect the school."

He raised his glass and there was a minute of complete silence save for the whispering of the Slytherins. The minute ended and the students began filing out of the Great Hall with their timetables in their hands. Malfoy was making snide remarks behind Harry and was being his usual slimy self.

"I don't know what this school is coming to…I really don't! Dumbledore's as potty as ever, re-instating that filthy werewolf…and I hope that that giant oaf never comes back. I mustn't get my hopes up though; I was disappointed last year wasn't I?! And a minutes silence for a bunch of greasy little house elves…what are they thinking?! And as for potty Potter, I still don't see why he's walking round with that Weasley. He ought to have learnt that nothing good can come of being friends with a low-down piece of scum. And as for the mudblood…well, what can be said bout her? Or should I say 'it'. It's the worst kind of wizard on this planet!" Malfoy saw Harry freeze and he sneered. "I can't believe my luck in one area though." Harry spun round.

"What area's that then?"

"The part when that filthy mutt died! He deserved everything he got!" Harry was shaking with rage at this point. Malfoy took pleasure in this and continued, "That werewolf will be next to join your stupid parents and your pet dog!" Malfoy smirked triumphantly.

"NEVER!" Harry lunged at Malfoy and slammed a fist into his face. Crabbe and Goyle stepped forward to restrain him. "My parents were a great deal better than yours! At least mine were decent, hard-working folk! Yours are filthy, slimy, ugly, evil prats! And your father is a DEATH EATER! If you think that's a noble profession then you've got another thing coming!"

Malfoy made a feeble attempt to punch Harry but failed. He raised his fist to strike again when a mild voice spoke and Lupin emerged from a shadow.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle. You will let him go this instant. Hermione, you can let go of Ron and Ron is not to do anything stupid. If I see you threatening Harry again then you will be in serious trouble. And yes, I heard every last word you said!"

"But Potter punched me in the face, _sir._"

"Good."

"What? You can't say that! You have to punish him!"

"No I don't! You deserve everything you get! Now get out of my sight!"

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle fled and Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at their teacher in astonishment and awe.

"I think you'd better go too, Harry." Lupin said shortly before turning to go himself.

"Not so fast, Lupin. I want a word." Said a voice behind Harry. It was Snape, accompanied by a smirking Malfoy and his two bumbling minions. "Potter, Weasley, Granger! You too."

They all followed Snape back to the dungeons where Snape turned to Harry and his friends and started to grill them.

"You attacked my student without any motive whatsoever!"

"He insulted my parents!" Harry retorted.

"That is no reason to cause an injury! You have just earned yourself your first detentions! Every day this week you will be coming to the dungeons at five o'clock _in the morning_. You will do two hours of solid work in this dungeon and I am expecting it to be ready for the first lesson and not a speck of dirt anywhere."

"Severus! You cannot just give him a detention without punishing Malfoy as well! He is as much to blame as Harry in this! It's not fair!" Lupin said defensively.

"Lupin, I will deal with you in a minute! In fact I will do it now. You do NOT threaten my students. I should get you fired! In fact, I will take the case to Dumbledore and see what he says."

"Severus, you know as well as I do that Dumbledore would never get rid of me! Nothing you can say or do will change that. However, he may lose his faith in your being changed if you do anything drastic," Lupin said a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"That's as maybe…but I can make yours and Potter's lives a complete and utter misery! Now get out of my office! I SAID GET OUT!"

"Gladly." Lupin snapped, "Come on Harry, Ron, Hermione. We don't need to stay here any more."

He strode out of the office and up to his own office with the trio in pursuit. Harry couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"Professor Lupin?" he whispered when he felt that Lupin would've cooled down enough so as not to bite his head off as soon as he said anything. After all, Lupin had never been the type to lose his temper with someone like he had with Snape only moments before.

"Yes, Harry?" Lupin turned round and his face seemed to relax.

"He wouldn't try anything dangerous would he?"

"No…he just wants to try and make me resign. He won't try anything dangerous because he would lose Dumbledore's trust and the Order would never speak to him again. He wouldn't have our protection and would be forced to rejoin Voldemort. He would be thrown into Azkaban for being a Death Eater and giving secrets about the ministry to Voldemort and would be forced to live with the guilt of betraying Dumbledore." Lupin smiled at them. "Now go and get some sleep and I'll see you in lessons tomorrow."

Harry and his friends left Lupin's office and Lupin watched them disappear around the corner before turning to look at a photo on his desk of the four marauders. He watched the figures wave up at him. Lily was knelt on the floor with a baby Harry and Peter was still in his work clothes and Sirius was covered in soot from head to toe as he'd just exploded some wizarding fireworks that were a bit faulty. He himself was in-between James, who was laughing at Sirius' appearance, and Sirius. Lupin and James looked tired as it had been the full moon the night before and James had been with him. That was the last time Lupin had seen Harry's dad alive before Voldemort had ruthlessly murdered them and attempted to murder Harry too. Lupin sighed. He wished he had his friends back. He felt alone now and there was no way he could bring them back even for only a day. Magic couldn't raise the dead. He gave a small smile as he remembered all the good times the marauders had had together over their years at Hogwarts and the few precious years they had had afterwards. He made himself a cup of tea and went to bed, hoping that things would improve soon at Hogwarts……the future of the school depended on it……but it was only too obvious that before things could get better they would have to get worse. Wherever Harry was trouble wouldn't be far behind.

At that moment, in a deep cavern not too far from Hogwarts, Voldemort's Death Eaters were gathering ready for their next, and most deadly, ambush yet.

**A/N: -** I'm really sorry that the chapters are so short compared to those of some of my other stories but I am hoping that soon I will be able to make my chapters longer…but I can't promise for the moment.


	5. Death Eaters

**5 – Death Eaters **

****

"M…m…master…I tried to get him master. I did…honest…"

"Shut up Worm."

"But master…"

"Wormtail, do you dare defy me?"

"No…no master…I…I…I didn't mean to upset you. Please…have mercy…"

_"Crucio."_ Wormtail gasped as he fell to the floor in agony. Voldemort's high pitched laugh rang loud and clear and several Death Eaters stepped forward. They were hooded and cloaked with their masks over their faces. Voldemort turned to face them as he released Wormtail from the cruciatus curse.

"Death Eaters of the Dark Mark. I'm sure you all remember our little encounter with a certain Mr. Harry Potter and his friends last year. If it were not for Albus Dumbledore, they would all be dead right now. We will get them. We are going to start a war which will prove to be the final battle, and we will defeat Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter once-and-for-all!" Voldemort raised his arms in a triumphant gesture towards the sky and the Dark Mark appeared with a series of bangs and flashes.

Harry yelled in pain as his scar blistered and burned. Ron was shaking Harry as violently as he could. Harry managed to open his eyes but his hands remained clamped over his scar. He sat up and slowly removed his hands from his head as the pain subsided. What he was not prepared for was the blood that covered his hands. He was stunned into silence. Ron looked at Harry's hands and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of bed.

"Where are we going, Ron?"

"The Order need to know about this…we're going to the hospital wing."

"My scar's hurt before and…"

"…it's hurt before but it's never bled, has it?"

"Well, no but"

"That settles it." Said Ron decisively. "We're going to see Dumbledore."

The troop of Death Eaters made their way up to the gates of Azkaban and hid amongst the shadows, waiting for the crucial signal. Then, they would strike on the call of their master. The Dark Mark had turned red and was flickering brighter by the minute. Suddenly, causing many of them to jump, a loud explosion was heard and a second Dark Mark, this time blue, appeared above the fortress of the Wizard Prison. Pettigrew led them forward, for now was the time for them to break out the remaining followers of Voldemort from where they were imprisoned.

Dumbledore had contacted the Order at once and sent them to different points around the country. Snape and Lupin also left to keep a lookout. McGonagall stayed as they couldn't have too many of their teachers leaving, especially if they were attacked and needed skilled witches and wizards to form protection shields.

The screams of guards being slaughtered echoed that night. The few Dementors left sucked the souls of anyone who got in their way and left to follow Voldemort. Death Eaters were scattered all over the country to wreak havoc on whichever major wizarding sites they were sent to. Pettigrew led the raid on Diagon Alley, Malfoy led the massacre at Hogsmeade, and the remaining followers who were not in those groups were led through various villages and towns by Voldemort himself. The residents of the towns put up a fight to be proud of but that did not change the facts. The sky was alight with the sign of Voldemort in many different colours. Tears were shed as hundreds were killed.

Hogsmeade became almost a ghost town. Few had survived and those who fled didn't dare return for fear of what sight awaited them.

Diagon Alley had faired no better. Shopkeepers had died defending their shops and, although there were more survivors than at Hogsmeade, there was a priceless amount of damage. Most of Ollivander's wands had been stolen though he had hidden a few in his cellar, where he waited out the attack unharmed. The cries of magical books burning and the magical pets scattered throughout London. The wizarding world had been pushed to the edge of its resistance. If there were any more attacks too soon then it wouldn't stand a chance.

Harry and Ron had been sent to wake Hermione and Ginny. Now, all three of them were seated in Dumbledore's office awaiting his return. They feared for the lives of those they cared about. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley, Mad-Eye, the other members of the Order and……well, Snape could almost be included, simply because he _was_ extremely useful if you thought about it for long enough. The Order was the last chance anyone had against Voldemort and if any more of them were taken then the result would indeed be disastrous. Dumbledore and McGonagall entered the room with Sturgis Podmore, the member of the Order of the Phoenix that had been put in Azkaban for six months. He had brought some bad news. Azkaban had been raided and all the criminals had escaped. The rest of the Order appeared in turn in Dumbledore's fireplace from their various points of lookout. The first to appear was Mrs. Weasley. She and Tonks were at a small village near to Hogsmeade. They reported on the increasing number of casualties. They were searching the wreckage and couldn't talk for long. Even Tonks looked deadly serious with shoulder length black hair tied back in a messy ponytail. They were both red-faced and practically dripping in a mixture of sweat and blood. Mr. Weasley and Kingsley were in Diagon Alley checking out the damage with Emmeline Vance and recovering survivors and trying to track down the missing people and their stock. The rest of the Order including Lupin and Snape were putting out fires in Hogsmeade and they were reporting form the Shrieking Shack's fireplace because it was the nearest place to where they had just finished tidying the debris. The Three Broomsticks had been burned to the ground, and Harry thought he could hear a definite note of sadness in Lupin's voice when he told them that Zonko's had also been blown up.

Harry and his fellow Gryffindors were sat in the common room awaiting more new on who had died in the raids. Around him were all the people whose friends and family had been caught up in the battle. It had been two hours since the reports had come through from the Order. Teachers were taking it in turns to stay in the common room with the students and try to offer what little comfort they could. By midnight they still hadn't heard anything and half the students were dead with exhaustion. At ten past two Dumbledore's head popped up in the fire. His face was unusually whit and his eyes were dull and lacking the reassuring twinkle the students had been hoping to see. He took a deep breath before sighing.

"I have some bad news. The final death toll of the raids…" all students sat up and some let some solitary tears escape down their cheeks "...is 2459 wizards and witches including children, and 27 muggles who wandered into the paths of the Death Eaters. I also need to speak to the following students: Hannah Abbott, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Hermione Granger, Dennis Goodwith, Neville Longbottom, Karlie Moastry, Harry Potter, Dean Thomas, Ronald and Virginia Weasley, Daisy Weepshift, Andrew Vaselliot and Freda Zeliis." And with that, he disappeared.

Harry and the others headed up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. As they walked, Harry wondered why he had been called to the headmaster's office. It dawned on him that it could mean only one thing…one of the Order must be dead. He knew who he wanted to be, and he knew who he didn't want it to be. Either way, he couldn't change what had happened and he had to be prepared to take it. After all, at least it wasn't a member of his family that had been killed…

One by one the students went in and came out, many crying or speechless. Harry had Neville one side of him and Ron on the other. Hermione had gone in and come out and she looked at Harry with pure pity before heading off down the corridor. It finally came to Neville's turn and when he came out his face showed an expression of mixed fear and relief. He turned to Harry and Ron.

"It's me Nan. She's critically ill. I'm going to see her now."

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley." McGonagall's voice called.

The three of them took deep breaths and entered the office. Dumbledore gestured for them to take a seat.

"I'm sure you know why I've called you here. I am afraid that several members of the Order have been injured and one has been killed."

"Lupin." Harry whispered putting his head in his hands.

"Mum and Dad." The Weasleys whispered doing likewise.

"No no no. I am glad to say that they are all safe and are only suffering from a little shock and a few minor injuries, but that is all. No, I am afraid to tell you that Sturgis Podmore was killed for warning me about the raid on Azkaban. Those in St. Mungo's are: Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Emmeline Vance and Mundungus Fletcher. They are all going to recover but I thought you would want to know."

"Yes, thank you Professor Dumbledore. When will we see the Order again?"

"Ah, that is the other matter of which I need to speak to you about. I believe some of our members wish to speak to you."

Harry instinctively went to kneel by the fireplace but Dumbledore laughed.

"Harry, don't you wish to talk to us in person?" a mild voice inquired from behind him. He turned round to see Ron and Ginny hugging their parents while Lupin, Tonks and Snape stood looking down at him. He stood and greeted each of them in turn. The meeting was brief but it was enough to put Harry's mind at rest. Most of the Order was safe and there had been only one death. He arrived back at his dormitory that night, a great weight taken off his shoulders, and slept like a log. No nightmares befell him that night, a rare event that did not happen very often and for which he was very grateful.

That night, his dream was of Quidditch and how good it would feel to be out on the pitch again and searching for the golden snitch in front of a cheering red and gold crowd and the jeers of the green and silvers. He could almost feel the wind in his hair; he could almost taste the glory as he held the snitch high above his head in a victorious gesture to confirm their win against Slytherin. He felt peaceful as he soared above the clouds and up into space on his Firebolt. This was like nothing he had ever felt before. He wished it could last forever.

"Harry! Harry! Wake up! You've got a Quidditch game against Slytherin today!"

_Great.__ Thanks Ron for disturbing the best night's sleep I've had in ages! _Harry thought wearily as he rose out of bed and pulled on his Quidditch robes.

**A/N: -** That was slightly longer than my last chapter and I'm working on it, I promise. Hope you enjoyed that - please review now, thank you!


	6. Quidditch Sneaker

**6 – Quidditch Sneaker**

****

The Quidditch season had just started and Harry was very much looking forward to playing again as his broomstick had been confiscated last year by Umbridge and he had been banned from playing Quidditch for life. Seeing as she no was no longer teaching at Hogwarts then he was entitled to play Quidditch again. He was very much looking forward to it. The first match was approaching fast and, surprise surprise, it was against Slytherin.

The morning of the match arrived and it was raining harder than Harry had ever known it to before. He performed the Impervius charm on his glasses so that he would be able to see and then he changed into his robes and the Gryffindor stepped out onto the pitch into a wave of tumultuous applause. The team mounted their brooms and kicked off from the ground. Madame Hooch's whistle sounded and the game began. Harry began searching the pitch for a tiny golden glimmer that would lead him to winning the game.

A cloaked figure moved silently amongst the spectators on the staff stalls. Snape saw it creeping along behind the teachers and up to the far end of the stalls before taking a seat next to Professor Sprout. He made a move to get up and speak with whoever it was but a loud groan from the Slytherins was heard as Gryffindor scored. He could hear it for only a moment before it was drowned by the cheers of the Gryffindors. He glanced smugly at Lupin who gave him a triumphant smirk in return to his scowl. Snape glared at him even harder but he just smiled and turned his attention back to the game. Snape suddenly remembered the person in the back row. He turned round to get another look at him. He craned his neck but the figure was no longer there and there was just an empty space instead.

Harry could see the faces of his fellow team-mates but couldn't see any of the opposition. Lee Jordan was commentating;

"HARRY POTTER LOOKS LIKE HE'S SEEN SOMETHING. OH NO! WATCH OUT HARRY! OOOHHH!!!! AN IMPRESSIVE DODGE OF A BLUDGER THERE BY HARRY POTTER! HANG ON! WHAT'S THIS? ANGELINA HAS THE QUAFFLE! SHE'S HEADING TOWARDS THE GOAL……COME ON ANGELINA! SHE SHOOTS…SHE – OOHHH! THAT WASN'T FAIR! WHERE'S THE WHISTLE! THAT NO GOOD OAFISH -"

"Jordan! Suitable commentary please!" McGonagall scolded but she was frowning all the same.

"SORRY PROFESSOR, BUT CRABBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PENALISED!"

Harry was only half listening to the commentary. True, he had seen the golden snitch but had lost it when the Bludger had been hit at him. He swooped close to the ground on his Firebolt and caught sight of the small and sparkling golden snitch once more. He chased after it, swerving in and out of the other players on the pitch. He could hear Malfoy chasing after him and urged his broomstick on, willing it to go faster. A Bludger joined the chase and the stakes were upped. He was close enough to see every detail on the tiny golden ball. He reached out his hand and grasped the snitch. He veered upwards, his left arm still holding the broom, his right hand waving the snitch about. Madame Hooch's whistle had sounded again and the Gryffindor supporters swarmed onto the pitch to congratulate the team, who had all touched down, but Harry wasn't there. The staff began to crowd onto the pitch to look for him. They started taking brooms off of the team members and flying up in the air to search for the missing seeker. Lupin snatched Draco Malfoy's broom, simply because it was the fastest, and tore up into the leaden sky. The other teachers followed suit.

"Harry! Harry? Where are you?" Lupin called.

"POTTER! Stop fooling around and get yourself over here right now!" Snape decided that being pleasant was not a good approach when trying to find a miscreant like Potter.

The Hogwarts staff body was soaked from head to toe. Tonks had been watching the game and had joined her friends in the air as had McGonagall, the Weasleys, Madame Hooch and Madame Pomfrey. Mr. Weasley caught sight of the back of Harry's broom and zoomed after it on Ron's broom. The Firebolt turned sharply to face its pursuers. On the front of it was Harry and on the back of it, with one arm around Harry's neck, was Peter Pettigrew.

"Wormtail!" Lupin exclaimed as he came to a halt next to Snape.

"Very observant, _Moony!_ I think that you should think twice before daring to confront me." Wormtail laughed chillingly.

"I don't need to think about it!" Lupin snarled, sounding very much like a wolf, and hurtling forward only to be pulled back by Snape.

"Don't be so stupid! Haven't you seen his arm?" Snape said through clenched teeth. Lupin looked at him, shocked, before turning to Pettigrew and looking at his arm. His eyes widened in horror. He had almost forgotten his last encounter with it.

"Silver." He croaked, his voice faltering and dying.

"That's right. My Lord could have given me an arm made of gold, platinum, titanium or any other metal but he chose _silver. _I'm sure you must have figured out why by now. Did Mr. Potter never tell you? It must've slipped his mind…pity. I have the advantage and believe me; it's not just against you. We have recruited many more Dark Creatures such as you…join us…you could have an advantage against the uselessness of the side you are on. You would be richly rewarded. Join us, Moony."

_"Never."_Lupin sneered.

"Fine. _STUPEFY!" _Pettigrew yelled. Lupin keeled over and fell off the side of the broom. McGonagall took one look at Snape, who nodded. He plummeted towards Lupin and, knowing he would not reach him in time, barked a spell to slow his fall so that he would land on the ground unharmed. He heard shouting behind him and turned back towards the conflict. He could see Pettigrew falling. He urged his broom onwards as fast as he could towards the treacherous rat, and was about to grab him, when another broomstick surged forward and grabbed Pettigrew, taking him out of sight. The rest of the company joined Snape and they touched down to cheering. The students received their brooms back and headed back to get some sleep. The entire search party was sent to the hospital wing and spent the night there to make sure they hadn't caught anything serious.

**A/N: -** Yes, I know that chapter was shorter! Sorry about that! But I hope you enjoyed it anyway! But my life is just so screwed up at the moment that I'm completely lost and don't know what to do any more! I'll try to keep updating but please don't get angry if I don't for a week or so.


	7. Marauder Memories

**A/N: -** I hope you like this next chapter! And I also hope you like the fact that Lupin is getting a bigger role in this than he's had in the actual books so far – he's such a good character that he deserves more attention! My life is still in a muddle but I think updating will be easier now! Enjoy...

****

****

**7 – Marauder memories**

****

The group headed their separate ways after the night in the hospital wing. The rest of the day passed in haze for Harry. That night, he fell asleep and found his senses obscured in a thick white fog. As the fog cleared he found himself on the Quidditch Pitch. He was on his broom, but it wasn't his Firebolt. It was a Comet 230…that was one of the fastest broomsticks of its time…but what was he, Harry, doing riding it. He found himself moving and then he saw the snitch. He chased after it and as his fingers closed around the snitch he heard an outburst of cheering from the Gryffindors. He looked for Ron to congratulate him on not letting a single goal through the hoops, an unusual feat for Ron, but he couldn't see him. Ron wasn't there. Neither was Alicia, Angelina, Katie, Fred George, or any of the other members of the Gryffindor team. He didn't even recognise the Slytherin team. He looked towards where the staff members were seated but Lupin and Snape weren't there and Hagrid looked a lot younger, as did McGonagall and Dumbledore. Harry was starting to get scared. He touched down and was immediately surrounded by his ecstatic team-mates.

"Well done, Potter!"

Well, at least he was still Harry.

"Yeah, nice one Prongs!"

Hang on a minute…………Prongs? This could only mean one thing. He was inside his father's sixteen year old body. He turned round and to his shock he saw a young Sirius next to him. Before he could do anything he felt the words slipping out of his mouth. He had no control over his words whatsoever.

"Thanks Padfoot. I wish Moony could've seen that!"

"Who's to say he didn't?" Sirius grinned mischievously

"Padfoot, you know he's still up in the hospital wing. It was a full moon last night!"

"I know, Prongs, but we managed to talk Madame Pomfrey into letting Moony out early to com with me and Pete to the match."

"Then where is he?" Harry heard himself say.

"Here." Said a voice on the other side of Harry. He turned and saw Lupin and Pettigrew. Lupin's arms were folded and he had a look of pure amusement on his face. He was looking very pale but he looked a lot healthier than he had looked when Harry had seen him in Snape's pensieve in his fifth year. Harry was just taking a close look at Pettigrew when he felt the familiar jolting sensation beneath his navel and he was being jolted forward, but it didn't feel like the usual transportation.

He landed with a jolt. This time, he was in a cosy living-room surrounded by several adults who were drinking glasses of what looked like champagne. A small boy was toddling around the room and, with a sudden sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Harry realised that it was him. He was very young and the adults sat in the room were his mum and dad and the other Marauders. They were laughing and joking watching the young Harry and taking turns to pick him up as he wandered over to them. He went round each Marauder in turn before returning to his mum and dad. They scooped him onto their laps and hugged him hard. Harry felt tears well up in his eyes. He was trying to hold them off but was distracted by the sudden whirling of colour.

Harry looked round him as the room came back into focus. He was still in the living room of Godric's Hollow but it was different. It was late at night and the fire was smouldering. He heard a panicky shout.

"Lily! He's here! Go up to Harry! I'll hold him off! Take Harry and RUN!"

Harry ran into the hall where his father stood, blocking the stairs. A green light shone through the lock and Voldemort burst through.

"You fool, Potter! Let me past and you need not die!"

"NEVER!"

"I gave you the chance! _Avada Kedavra! _"

James Potter let out a yell and collapsed on the floor. Unmoving. Dead. Voldemort gave a hollow, spine-chilling laugh and glided up the stairs. Harry followed him, stepping over his dead father's body as he went. He followed Voldemort into a room where Lily Potter stood clutching Harry tightly to her chest. She turned sharply as he entered, laying Harry down in his cot and standing protectively in front of him.

"Stand aside, girl!"

"No."

"Stand aside and I will spare you. Give me the boy!"

"No. You'll have to kill me first before I ever let you take my son!" Lily gasped.

"So be it." Voldemort murmured _"Avada Kedavra."_

Lily let out a cry of pain and a strangled choking noise escaped her as she fell to the floor as dead as her husband. Voldemort moved over her and advanced on the young Harry, who looked at him out of his bright green eyes in confusion.

"You are a threat to me. Killing you will secure my safety for generations to come. Take one last look…Harry Potter. _Avada Kedavra_."

A luminous light spouted from the end of his wand and there was an enormous bang as Voldemort exploded into nothing. Harry felt himself being sucked backwards.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Harry yelled. He awoke to see his entire dormitory stood above him.

"Harry! Are you alright, mate?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Honestly. Just a dream." Harry said. His friends were obviously satisfied with this answer but Harry was still just as confused by the dream. He had seen many images. Ones that he assumed were from the past, but how could he possibly tell anyone about it? He knew he should tell Dumbledore but how to do it? He thought about it for a moment before deciding that he would do it in the morning. He rolled over as the others in his dorm returned to their beds and fell asleep again.

The next morning, Harry awoke to Ron jumping up and down on his bed yelling that it was Hogsmeade weekend.

The Gryffindors arrived in Hogsmeade at ten O'clock that morning but no-one was prepared for the devastation they were about to see. McGonagall walked to the front and spoke to her students,

"Today's trip is not to enjoy yourselves. It is to show you the terror that had been unleashed on our world and to prepare you for the worst. If the school is attacked and your fellow students or your teachers are killed, you may come across them and you need to know what to do."

They moved among the ruins and most of the Order could be seen searching the wreckage along with many volunteers. The Order could be seen checking buildings that were still standing before allowing any volunteers in to help them check for survivors among the half wrecked shops and pubs. Harry saw Mr. Weasley and Tonks go in to the remainder of the Hogs Head and, whilst they were in it, it collapsed.

"DAD!" Ron screeched.

"TONKS!" Hestia Jones cried, rushing into the building along with Molly Weasley. They dragged the two unconscious people out of the wreckage. Lupin and Snape rushed to help. Tonks and Mr. Weasley were transported to St. Mungo's along with Hestia, Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Ginny. Even Fred and George were there and they went too. Lupin walked over to McGonagall. He, like many of the others, was filthy with blood on his hands and face and his robes torn.

"Minerva, the Order's number is decreasing rapidly. I'd already checked that building. It was perfectly sturdy. Someone made it fall on top of Arthur and Tonks." Lupin's voice was urgent.

"Remus, I hardly believe that anyone from the other side would make it on to this site now that Dumbledore is here…they wouldn't dare."

"Really? Well then, if you refuse to accept that the Order is being targeted…don't you see? We are being picked off one – by – one. Any one of us could be next. Dumbledore won't be able to watch each individual member's every move. We could be struck down at any moment. And when the Order is all dead? The coast will be clear for Voldemort to strike our students and to kill Harry like he has wanted to do for so long. Are you really telling me that the Order is just dropping like flies for no apparent reason?" Lupin's eyes were glittering. McGonagall looked shocked, almost scared.

"Remus, you will scare the students. You are not in your rational mind which is perfectly understandable with the full moon approaching so fast and with Sirius dead and the stakes upped but that is no reason to lose your temper like that."

"Minerva. Get down." Lupin whispered. "GET DOWN!" he pushed her down as a spell came hurtling through the air. He fell to his knees and screamed in agony. It was the cruciatus curse. McGonagall uttered a small scream and looked in all directions for the sender of the curse. Lupin managed to stammer a stunning spell in the direction of his attacker. The curse stopped and he rose to his feet, shaking slightly, but none the worse for his ordeal.

"Now, do you believe me?" he asked. McGonagall just nodded. Lupin escorted them all back to Hogwarts and headed to his office. He knew he should have gone to the hospital wing but he didn't see the point as he had been through worse than that.

Harry was still in shock. He didn't understand why Voldemort was bothering to kill the Order off. After all, it would be just as easy to kill Harry rather than going to all the trouble to eliminate the others first, wouldn't it? Harry wasn't sure about anything anymore. It was soon going to be over for him anyway. The prophecy's words rang true in his head.

_Neither one can live while the other survives._

One of them had to die and Harry was starting to doubt his abilities and also his chance against the Dark Lord. If an attack was launched on Hogwarts then many of its students would probably die. Teachers would be murdered. Plants would be destroyed, as would the owls and other animals. The remaining house-elves and the kitchen staff would all die and there was nothing he could do about it. It would be a much bigger massacre than ever before. Harry knew that Voldemort's army would be incredibly strong, far stronger than any force that Dumbledore had to offer. Harry led in his bed, thinking it over, for a long time before coming to a decision.

"If Hogwarts is going to be attacked, and if I must die, then I will die in the final duel against Voldemort," he whispered quietly to himself.

_"That's the way to think about it, boy." _A soft voice said. The words were prolonged and there were sharp hissing laughs in-between. _"No good to let your friends die to protect you and then not get yourself killed as well!"_

"Who are you?" Harry asked, sitting up. He looked cautiously around the dorm before turning his gaze to the floor where he saw a long, fat snake with luminous yellow eyes rearing its head and swaying from side to side.

_"I am your doom, Harry Potter, boy who thwarted my master………………"_

**A/N: -** Heh heh, evil snake alert! Keep reviewing people! Thank-you!


	8. Parseltongue Secret Animagus

**A/N: -** I know the snake doesn't have much in this chapter but it will return at a later date - I promise you that! You just don't know who it is yet! Enjoy, and review please!

****

**8 – Parseltongue**

****

The snake let out another prolonged and angry hiss as it slithered onto the bed, ready to bear down on Harry. Harry fumbled around for his wand but the snake beat him to it. It snatched up the wand in its mouth and swallowed it whole. It turned, and without a second glance at Harry, it left. Harry stared after it in disbelief. Why didn't the snake kill him when it had the chance? He slipped silently out of bed and crept down the stairs and into the common room. He could see the snake leaving through the portrait hole. The Fat Lady had hidden from it in a nearby picture, the incident with Sirius in Harry's third year had rather unnerved her and any Dark Creature just had to rear its ugly head at her and she would make a run for it.

Harry left the Gryffindor tower and followed the snake as it began its journey down to the dungeons. The snake entered the dungeon, obviously expecting it to be empty, but was promptly blasted by Snape with the other members of the Order looking on.

"What are you doing?! That snake had my wand!" Harry gasped.

"I know, Potter. I have conveniently managed to destroy the snake without destroying your wand. It may need cleaning though." Snape said briskly and, sure enough, Harry's wand was on the floor and covered in a thick brown substance that reminded him of tar. It was the snake's blood. Harry picked it up and wiped it on his robes. He moved his eyes around the room and saw the rest of the Order. They were having a meeting and judging by the looks on their faces they had been talking about him. Dumbledore rose and spoke to the gathered witches and wizard. Harry also noticed that the members who had been in St. Mungo's had recovered and were all seated in a circle and were smiling at him. The one person that he couldn't see was Lupin. He looked at Dumbledore who inclined his head to the small window. Though the window was barely large enough to let a single ray of sunlight through, a glimmer of moonlight could be seen. Of course. How could Harry have been so dense? It was the full moon again tonight. Lupin would probably be curled up in his office under the effects of the Wolfsbane potion. As if to confirm this, Snape said,

"Who's going to be updating Lupin on this meeting?"

"Are you volunteering, Severus?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Certainly not! I did it last time and I'd rather not go too near him after the full moon. He will most probably be wallowing in self-pity right about now!"

"Well, in any case, you have _been_ volunteered, Severus."

"Very well, but I will not keep informing him of goings on…next time someone else will be doing it!" Snape snorted as he headed out of the doorway.

Harry had been sent out of the meeting after that. They were discussing _private business._ He felt cheated. He thought he deserved to listen in on the meetings as it was him they were talking about and Voldemort had everything to do with him. He lost track of time and found himself outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He frowned, a dark crease forming between his eyes. He shook his head and made his way back to his dorm. He felt confused. He didn't know where Voldemort was or what his next move would be. He didn't know what to expect. He was scared for his friends; for Ron, Hermione and Neville. All the Gryffindors were in danger; the whole school was in danger and it was his entire fault. He wished he had never been born. He wished the Dursleys had stopped him going to Hogwarts, and then he would never have discovered that he was magical. He wished Voldemort had successfully killed him in one of his attempts in the past five years. If he had never been to Hogwarts then Sirius wouldn't have died, Ron and Hermione would never have been put in danger.

He was haunted, that night, by everything that had happened in the past year. He re-lived the moment when Sirius fell behind the veil in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. He re-lived Cedric's death and the revival of the Dark Lord. He re-lived the night in the Shrieking Shack. He re-lived the sequence in the Chamber of Secrets and also the battle against Quirrell. Once again, he ended with the deaths of his parents. He awoke in shock and decided against telling Ron and Hermione this time. He would leave it. He was just upset and worried. The dreams would leave him when he calmed down…………he hoped. He couldn't be sure of anything anymore. One thing he was certain of was that if there was even one more attack on someone at Hogwarts, unless it was a Slytherin, he would leave. He didn't know where he would go; just that it would be the right thing to do. He could no longer withstand risking his friends, fellow students, and even staff. Their lives were at stake and Harry had to do something. If Hogwarts was attacked, then they would be finished. They wouldn't have a chance. It was all up to Harry. He made his choice. He would leave Hogwarts and he would leave that very night.

He reached underneath his bed and clasped the handle of his trunk. He pulled it out and hastily threw a few belongings into it before covering himself with the Invisibility Cloak and making his way out of the Gryffindor tower. He stared to walk among the twisting corridors of the great castle and heaved open the great door in the entrance hall.

As he struggled across the sodden lawn and out of the grounds, he looked back one last time at the school he had lived in for the past five years. The one escape he had from Privet Drive, where his friends were, the only family he had known for so long, he was having second thoughts. He couldn't leave Hogwarts. He could never leave his home; could he?

He shook himself from his daze and turned back towards the path before him. Where would he go? Perhaps to Hogsmeade and the Hogs Head. Yes, that's where he was going. In the Hogs Head no-one could possibly get to him. He stopped and looked back at the castle. Maybe he should wait a little longer…yes; he would wait for a while longer. There would be no sense in leaving until he had sorted the problems inside his head. Leaving Hogwarts would only give him more problems to worry about. He would stay a while longer. Sighing deeply, he sloped back to the castle and up to his dorm, unpacking silently so that no-one would know of what he almost did. But, even as he fell asleep, he knew something wasn't right.

Next morning, Harry awoke to the shrill cry of a woman. He got up and raced downstairs to the common room. No-one else was awake so he peeked out of the portrait hole. The Fat Lady was the one shrieking at the sight of several puddles of blood on the floor. She saw Harry and pointed desperately at the floor before passing out in her painting. Harry's eyes widened and he ran to Dumbledore's office.

Pushing through the crowds, Harry picked out Lupin. His eyes were bloodshot and had dark rings under them. Harry, for the first time since getting up, glanced at his watch: 5:07am! Lupin must've only just transformed back into a human when he was called to the office. Harry hesitated slightly before taking a seat opposite the pale-faced werewolf.

"What's going on?"

"I can't tell you, Harry. That's for Dumbledore to do; not me."

"Potter! Get back to your dormitory immediately!" McGonagall's voice pierced the hubbub. Harry was thrown out at once and had to wait until the feast, restlessly, to find out exactly what was going on.

He reached the Great hall and took his usual seat at the table. He glanced up and down the staff table: at Dumbledore sitting silently with his hands clasped in front of him, at Snape looking particularly edgy, noting the absence of Lupin, and at McGonagall dabbing at her face with a handkerchief.

"Students," Dumbledore stood, addressing them solemnly, "It grieves me to say this but you must know for the sake of everyone's safety. In the early hours of this morning, two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw were brutally murdered. If you wish to talk to anyone about this then any of our Professors will be happy to help. I would also like to bring to your attention that anyone who was timetabled to have Defence Against the Dark Arts in periods one and two this morning will be having an extra potions lesson instead."

"Why isn't Lupin here?" Hermione hissed to Harry.

"All the teachers were called to Dumbledore's office early this morning so he wouldn't have been human for very long. He looked awful when I saw him in Dumbledore's office…" he trailed off before adding miserably, "…before I was caught and thrown out."

"Ha, serves you right," grinned Ron, punching Harry lightly on the shoulder. Harry was about to say something in return but the doors of the Hall burst open and Lupin, dishevelled and fearful, stood in the entrance.

"Professor Dumbledore," he gasped, making his way hurriedly up to the staff table, "get the students out – now!"

The hall wqas thrown into chaos and students were hurried out onto the grounds. Once all the students were safe, Dumbledore accompanied Lupin to the Defence classroom. Lupin had a lot of explaining to do.

"There are Death Eaters in the school. They're here to kill Harry and whoever else gets in their way. We have to find them."

"But we also have to keep them from escaping."

"I know, but we need to find them first," Lupin was unusually panicky.

"But how did you fin out----"

There was a loud explosion and the Dark Mark appeared above Hogwarts and all the windows shattered, shaking the school. The teachers had to find the source of the madness before the school was destroyed. Lupin and Dumbledore split up, as did the other teachers, and the hunt began. Lupin reached the dungeon and found Hagrid bound and gagged with Lucius Malfoy sneering at him. He waved his wand casually and Lupin was thrown into a tray of beakers which smashed on impact. _So, _thought Lupin, _you want a duel? Then a duel's what you'll get – we'll fight to the death if needs be!_

**A/N: -** Lupin's moment of glory. There's a sad chapter coming up next so be warned – it's a nasty memory revisited for the Order as they go to----- wait, I'm not giving anything away!


	9. The Funeral of Padfoot

**A/N: -** Another lovely Lupin moment at the beginning of this chapter. I hope you like this chapter but please keep Sirius in your thoughts as you read it. The funeral has the best impact if you think of what you really liked about Sirius' character as you read it. I still think J.K. Rowling should be punished for killing him but I'm sure he'll return in one form or another…

****

****

**Chapter Nine – The Funeral of Padfoot.**

****

"Lucius Malfoy, I challenge you to a duel."

"I accept – and I wish to promote a fight to the death."

"To the death."

"Averte Statura!" Malfoy bellowed. Lupin was thrown into the air but landed on his feet.

"Locomotor Mortis!" he returned, locking Malfoy's legs together so the man stumbled forward and fell to the ground with a thud. The two men scowled and simultaneously raised their wands, reading each others thoughts, one attacking the other defending, and bellowed the killing curse.

"Avada Kedavra!" The two green beams of light met in mid-air and the world froze. A blinding white light balled tightly in the centre of the room and exploded, destroying the potions laboratory and causing Malfoy, Lupin and Hagrid to fly out of the school. All three landed in different places, saved from death by their own spells or those of other people. Malfoy was in the middle of the students, saved by Dumbledore. Hagrid was in Greenhouse Four, saved by Sprout. And Lupin was just out of reach of the Whomping Willow, saved by Flitwick.

Screaming students, mainly first-years, backed away from the unconscious Malfoy Senior. Said Death Eater was coming round and he gazed at his surroundings, momentarily bewildered.

"What am I doing here?"

"Being arrested by the Ministry of Magic as soon as they arrive," a limping Lupin emerged through the crowd with a weary and baffled Hagrid trailing behind him.

"I'm not going to be arrested. Good luck with recruiting the Dark Creatures – although you don't stand a chance." Malfoy sneered, pulling out a miniature broomstick from his pocket, enlarging it, casting a smokescreen spell, and flying off without being caught in spite of the staff's best efforts. Lupin sighed in relief and began walking back to the castle, bringing up the rear of the student body, who were chattering excitedly, as they were taken back to the Great Hall.

"Professor, wait!" Hermione called when she saw Lupin heading in the opposite direction to the Hall. Harry, Ron and Neville all stood with her. Lupin turned to face them.

"Go and have your breakfast. I'm sure Dumbledore will want to know you didn't go off on some manic mission attempting to catch Malfoy."

"We're only going if you do – you just saved the school!" Harry stated resolutely, folding his arms.

"Fine – but only because I know Dumbledore will go spare if you four don't turn up, due to your previous record of… 'missions'."

Dumbledore rose from his seat,

"Students and teachers, what happened today shows you how serious our situation, and this war, is. If your parents wish to take you away from the school then they are free and within their rights to do so. But I warn you, it is safer here than it is in the outside world. Here you have an entire staff body willing to put their lives at risk for you and who are all experienced and talented witches and wizards. Today, we have one member of staff in particular whose selflessness and bravery undoubtedly saved Hogwarts from consumption by Dark Forces. So, I would like to propose a thank-you toast to Professor Remus J. Lupin." He smiled gently at the Defence professor, who had gone a deep shade of crimson and was glaring in an amused fashion at Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione. Even half the Slytherins joined the tumultuous applause that reverberated off the walls of the Hall.

Lesson one was spent feasting as their breakfast had been rudely interrupted. However, lesson two was still as normal and that meant potions for Harry and his class. Snape was even more sour than usual, it didn't take a genius to guess why, and he set them the task of clearing up the dungeon. As he worked, Harry made a mental note to try and speak to Lupin before the day ended and thought about invading a meeting of the Order. After what happened, there was bound to be one. Harry would just have to gatecrash ad see Lupin; he had to know exactly what had happened down in the dungeon between Malfoy and his Professor.

"Potter, I expect this dungeon to be spotless!" Snape roared above the noise of shattered glass being picked up, "the entire school is in a state of clean-up and everyone is to do their bit, you being no exception!" Snape was whiter than normal and his fists were clenched as he talked. Harry sighed and went back over what he'd already cleaned, kept going by the thought of Snape's face when he invaded yet another meeting.

The evening came quickly and Harry took cover under his father's invisibility cloak and headed to Dumbledore's office to find Lupin and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix. He was joined by Ron and Hermione, who'd silently followed him and now joined him under the cloak. They got into Dumbledore's office and stayed low in a corner. They wanted to know exactly what was going on. But somebody in the room already knew they were there. Lupin was walking directly towards them.

"He can't have seen us!" Hermione gasped.

"Ron, your shoe's sticking out!" Harry exclaimed. Ron swiftly pulled his shoe out of sight but it was too late. Lupin had everyone's attention and he whipped away the cloak covering the three Gryffindors and turned back to Dumbledore.

"Ah, it seems we have visitors," Dumbledore winked at them, "do come and join us. This is not an official meeting or else it would not have been held here, and we certainly would not have left the office door open." His eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"Headmaster, I really think these students should be punished for being out of bed after-hours. It is highly unfair that they get special treatment."

"You would think that," muttered Lupin mildly.

"That's quite enough of that, thank-you, Remus. And you, Severus," Dumbledore frowned. Lupin snorted; Snape was being more of a jerk than usual and everyone knew it. But the peace had to be kept.

"Headmaster, with all due respect, I do not think it appropriate for these students to stay here."

"So, you want to throw Harry out of a meeting where we've already discussed the day's events and in which we are now discussing the funeral of his Godfather?" Lupin snapped, causing Snape to withdraw slightly.

"A meeting about Sirius? We're staying," Harry confirmed, taking a seat next to Tonks and opposite Mad-Eye Moody. Lupin grinned lopsidedly at Snape – he'd won the argument this time.

"So," Dumbledore spoke again, "We need a date for the funeral. It will have to be as private as is possible – we can do without interference."

"How about the 22nd of September?" Harry suggested.

"Is everyone ok with that? Yes? Excellent – we'll meet at ten o'clock in the morning and go to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, after the funeral. Harry and Remus, will you make speeches?"

"Yes," Lupin agreed at once, his voice soft.

"I suppose I could…" Harry was hesitant. Really, all he wanted to do was say a private goodbye to Sirius but he felt it his duty to speak at the funeral. If Lupin could manage it then so could he.

The 22nd dawned Harry dressed in his normal robes and met Hermione and Ron in the common room. They had to try not to attract too much attention to themselves or it could be potentially dangerous, maybe even fatal if they were followed the Voldemort's followers. The rest of the Order was waiting in Hagrid's cabin and when everyone was present they set off.

When they reached the small, abandoned chapel that Dumbledore had concealed with magic, Dumbledore took on the role of priest and began the speeches.

"We are all here today to say a final farewell to a very special man; Sirius Black. He died in the Ministry of Magic Department of Mysteries. The first up to pay tribute is Minerva McGonagall, his transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor house."

"Good morning to you all. This is a very sad occasion for all of us, but what can I say about Sirius Black? Loud, arrogant, mischievous and sometimes amusing. When he started school, he made friends with three other boys. They were by far the oddest group of friends I'd ever seen at Hogwarts and I have yet to see another group like them, although a certain four have come very close. Of course, Sirius' group had the brains, brawn, daring, reason, teamwork, friendship and vulnerability to pull off many pranks. Most of these succeeded, with highly entertaining results for all students – but not always for the teachers. But no matter how much scolding I gave Sirius; no matter how many points taken and detentions given, he would always emerge triumphant, a hero, to his fellow Gryffindors. And we all owe him a serious apology for serious misjudgement over this past fifteen years. We are deeply sorry to Sirius and bid him a fond, but unwilling, farewell," McGonagall stepped down, dabbing at her eyes again. Fred and George, much to everyone's surprise, got up and walked to the front without an introduction from Dumbledore.

"Ah, the Marauders – we owe them so much. Yet we never knew who they were until our Extendable Ears did the work for us. But, unfortunately, Sirius was already gone so we never got to see the look on his face when he found out that we knew – although we got enough reaction from others as it was," Fred laughed, winking at Lupin, who glared at them. George continued,

"Sirius, mate, we want to keep this short. You and your friends gave us some of the most magical moments of our young lives at Hogwarts and inspired us even more into our career; thanks a whole bunch, mate – and, wherever you've gone, send us a postcard!"

"Thank-you, Fred and George, that was most intriguing…I will speak with you later," his eyes twinkled, "Remus, if you would care to follow that with a little more on Sirius' life." Dumbledore stood down again and Lupin made his way to the front.

"The Marauders – that was our name at school. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs – best prank players of the time. We always swore that nothing would ever tear us apart. We were invincible. But all we could do was watch as four became three and three became two. Now, there is just one. We all thought Sirius would last the longest with his fierce determination and unwavering loyalty, but it wasn't to be. Sirius was one of the best friends someone could wish for – he would have died for our group and our friendship. He was always pushing us forward, taking bigger and bigger risks. Of course, there were occasions when this did absolutely no good whatsoever!

"I'll never get over losing him and I'll never forget him. We can all get on with our lives but it will still be there. Moony will never stop hunting for Padfoot. The Marauders were destroyed the moment Peter betrayed us but were reformed when Sirius was released. It is frustrating to think that we were brought down by a monster, a witch and a rat. They will not get away with it in the long run. This isn't goodbye to Sirius because he's made a lasting impression on the lives of so many, whether those impressions are good or bad. This is the beginning of a new war. Until we meet again, Padfoot," Lupin half-saluted the casket which contained no body. Inside was a collection of the things Sirius held closest to him, put in by the people in the Order and those he loved the most. Lupin slipped a couple of items in and took his seat. It was Harry's turn.

"He was all I had so I can never replace him – and, to be honest, I never want to. You see, I was in denial at first. When Sirius fell and I was pulled back, I didn't want to believe it – I thought, believe it or not, that Sirius and Professor Lupin were playing a foolish prank on me. But when Sirius didn't reply to my yelling I knew he was really dead; gone for good. Nothing mattered to me in that moment and I felt numb with the pain and magnitude of the loss. And to think that in my third year I hated him. I still find that hard to believe.

"I blame myself, in parts, for his death. If I had worked harder at Occlumency or waited until I knew the facts before going on a rescue mission then maybe he would still be here today. I wouldn't have been deluded by the vision.

"I didn't know him for very long and I hardly ever saw him and I wish I could speak to him one last time. But, as that's impossible, I will just have to learn to move on. I should probably return the mirrors that he gave me to him but I know he would rather they were put to good use. So I will keep them and put something else inside in his memory." Harry put something in the casket and sat back down. Lupin gave him a reassuring smile and looked away again to the casket.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur to Harry and he was glad when it was over. The group went back to Grimmauld Place and sat around talking and doing nothing for the rest of the day. About halfway through the afternoon, Lupin disappeared upstairs and Harry was warned not to follow.

"He wants to be alone, Harry. Surely you can understand that, can't you?" Molly Weasley smiled gently at him. Harry nodded in agreement but his thoughts remained firmly on his teacher until said downhearted werewolf returned almost an hour later.

Eyes were red-rimmed and tears were still falling at six o'clock that night. Most people stayed the night under the strict orders of a very tearful Molly Weasley. She insisted on everyone staying and found everyone somewhere to sleep. Harry turned in reluctantly at eleven thirty and was saying good-night to everyone when he realised Lupin had gone off again. He was probably in his room, trying to get some rest so Harry didn't let his mind linger on it for too long.

Harry, Ron and Hermione returned with Hagrid to Hogwarts early the next day so they could be back before lessons started. The other teachers in the Order had gone back earlier and by a different route. Hogwarts was in perfect order when they arrived. Everything was repaired but Harry barely had time to take it in because he and his friends were whisked off to Transfiguration.

"Today, class, we will be learning how to transfigure slugs into daggers. This is a particularly useful spell as it also works on snakes, snails, worms, centipedes and millipedes."

"Then why are we using slugs?"

"Because, Mr. Weasely, I very much doubt that you are capable of using anything else."

"Stupid old bat," Ron muttered under his breath.

"Five points from Gryffindor for your cheek. Now, here's the incantation. I'll only say it once and then you're on your own so listen carefully: Animaius Transdagorus."

When the class finished and Ron's slug had a handle but that was it. Harry's was coated in slime which wouldn't go away no matter how much he wiped it off. And Hermione's, as usual, was perfect.

The day passed slowly and with double Potions, History of Magic and Divination following Transfiguration, Harry was ready to drop dead by the end of it. When dinnertime finally arrive, everyone was ratty with exhaustion after being told multiple times that they were all going to meet terrible ends if they didn't wear something purple every day for the next week. But dinner was delicious and Harry was enjoying himself thoroughly until a furious Snape dragged him out of the room.

"Let go!"

"Potter, I do not want you to intrude on any more meetings but Headmaster Dumbledore requests your presence at one tonight."

"When and where?"

"The Shrieking Shack at midnight. You must bring the two Weasleys and Miss Granger. But I must emphasise that I protested most impressively against your coming but Dumbledore and his pet werewolf won again." Snape sneered, letting Harry go and storming off to the dungeons, probably to sulk.

That night, the four students crept out under cover of darkness and the invisibility cloak (which was very crowded!) and into the Shrieking Shack. They could hear several raised voices – Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Snape and McGonagall were fighting about something. Harry led the way upstairs and opened the door to a room which seemed all too familiar. He and his friends edged round the room and sat on the bed as far away from the quarrel as possible.

"STOP!" Dumbledore bellowed and there was silence, "We are here to discuss Voldemort's latest moves. He has recruited more than half of the dark creatures in this country and has eighty-seven percent of the world's dark creature population on his side. To combat this, the Ministry have rashly begun to kill all those they are suspicious of. We have sent them a list of those on our side and of those who are, at present neutral. Remus is bringing those he's managed to get hold of to Hogwarts to hide and help us formulate plans."

"They'll be here tomorrow," Lupin interjected.

"What?!" Snape hissed, "So you want more Wolfsbane, I take it?"

"Yes, Severus," Dumbledore said slightly dangerously.

"No, one half-breed scumbag is enough!"

"Never insult half-breeds!" Hagrid stood up. Lupin rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't insulting you, Hagrid, I was insulting him," he jabbed a thumb in Lupin's direction, "I refuse to make any more potion. If the other half-breeds want it then Lupin will have to go without."

"Severus---" Dumbledore frowned.

"My final offer."

"Fine," Lupin agreed mildly, "They need it more than I do – and there's more of them."

"Finally, you see that you have to do what us non-diseased people tell you to do!"

"No, I just think it's better to have one dangerous werewolf and forty tame ones than the other way round." Lupin shrugged, practically grinning, though no-one knew why.

"FORTY?! How in Merlin's name did you manage to get hold of that many so quickly?"

"Easily, you just go to St. Mungo's, look up old contacts and go to villages where werewolves are known to live. I even got hold of the one that was in hospital when Arthur was in there last year. And there are ten foreigners."

"Excellent," Arthur Weasley clapped his hands together, "shall I come with you tonight, Remus?"

"Tonight?" Harry spoke up for the first time.

"Tonight, I am sending Remus and Mad-Eye on a mission to keep the peace at a Dangerous Creatures convention. There's always a protest and some of Voldemort's recruits could be there to recruit more people or attack the Ministry. Arthur, you may go along if Molly agrees to it – it will be dangerous."

"Molly?" Arthur pleaded, looking very much like a four year old who wanted an expensive toy.

"Very well," Mrs. Weasley sighed, "but please, in Merlin's name, don't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry," Lupin laughed, "we'll keep an eye on him and we'll report back tomorrow morning if we can." And, with that, him, Moody and Mr. Weasley left and the meeting was concluded. But Dumbledore kept Harry behind, sending the other three students that had been there back to the Gryffindor dorms, accompanied by McGonagall.

"When Sirius was in my office, not long before he died, he asked me to take his memory of your birth in case something happened to him so that you could see it. Professor Lupin, your parents and Peter Pettigrew are all there. You know how a Pensieve works?" Dumbledore stepped back from the Pensieve he'd kept hidden throughout the meeting.

"Yes."

"Then go ahead." Dumbledore said. Harry bent over the bowl and was taken into his Godfather's memory. James Potter was stood, pacing, outside a maternity ward. Sirius and Lupin were playing 'Eye Spy' and Pettigrew was trying to calm Harry's father down. Suddenly, a mid-wife emerged from the room.

"James Potter?"

"Yes?"

"You've got a little boy."

James whooped with delight and embraced each of the Marauders in turn. Peter let go quickly, guiltily; Sirius wouldn't let go, practically choking James; and Lupin winced and drew away sharply.

"Sorry, Moony, I forgot about your ribs."

"It's ok, Prongs. Let's go see Prongs Jr."

"Excellent suggestion, Mr. Moony. I couldn't have come up with a better one myself." Sirius grinned.

Harry followed the Marauders into a room where his mother was sat, cradling a baby. The baby was him! His stomach lurched and he bit back tears. Even as a baby he had unruly black hair.

"Aw, Lils, he's gorgeous!" James kissed his wife and then Harry, "Harry James Potter, it's time to meet the Marauders: Remus 'Moony' Lupin, Sirius 'Padfoot' Black and Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew. All three of them are gonna be your Godfathers."

"It's ok, James. I won't ever see him, what with…work," Peter squealed, a bead of sweat running down his head, "but thanks anyway."

"Yeah, thanks but no thanks, Prongs. I'd love to, but the Ministry would have more than a little to say about it and I haven't read the new Werewolves Code of Conduct yet so it's probably best to play it safe."

"So, what's your excuse, Padfoot, my partner in crime?"

"Nothin whatsoever, Prongs, my man – I will guard the mini Potter with my life," Sirius saluted.

"Brilliant!"

"James, honey, I need to sleep – take the guys out for a drink to celebrate or something and come back tomorrow."

"Why?" Sirius asked sadly, ruffling Harry's hair.

"Because, Sirius Black, you are driving me insane and you've been here less than five minutes!" Lily tried to look stern but smiled in spite of herself.

"Lily encouraging us to drink?" James laughed.

"Let's go!" Sirius grabbed Lupin and they were out of the door like a shot and Harry was thrown out of the Pensieve.

"Why did it stop?"

"Sirius didn't want you to see them drunk. Well, actually he was indifferent about the matter but Remus forbade it. He said it was too embarrassing." Dumbledore's eyes glittered. Harry laughed – it would have been amusing to see the Marauders drunk but Sirius had probably been held at wand-point by Lupin for even suggesting that Harry be allowed to see it.

Harry's dreams that night were jumbled. He heard the voices of the members of the Order of the Phoenix each telling him to do something different. It eventually became one dream: the massacre of the Order and every student at Hogwarts. Harry could see all the bodies of those he cared about most and a single voice rang out, high pitched and sinister.

_"You did this."_


	10. Like Father Like Son

**Chapter 10 – Like Father, Like Son.******

****

****

"Harry? Harry, wake up!" Ron shook his friend, anxiously.

"What?" Harry groaned.

"Mate, you're completely tangled up. You were thrashing about and clutching your scar for most of the night. And you were talking!"

"Oh no – what did I say?"

"You yelled for each member of the Order in turn and then for me, Hermione, Ginny and Neville. What were you dreaming about?"

"I dreamt there was a massacre. I saw several villages and the I saw Hogwarts – It was all destroyed and everyone was dead."

"Ouch," Ron cringed, "I hope it's not a vision of the future, mate – that would freak me out."

Harry dressed and went down to breakfast and Dumbledore rose solemnly.

"The war has started. Many of you will not know the history of the Lord Voldemort but I can assure you that he is going to strike harder than ever. I cannot delay telling you the truth any longer as it could prove extremely dangerous in the long run if you do not know exactly what is going on. From now on, it will be a deadly game of hide and seek between good and evil. From what we know, Voldemort is planning to start the final war at some point next year, but if he picks off those who are valuable to our side and a thorn in his then we won't stand a chance. Extra Defence lessons and clubs are being organised and, depending on your OWL results and career aspirations, you will be receiving more of some lessons than others if you are in your NEWT years. Your new timetables will be issued to you shortly and you will be expected to be at lessons on time so as not to cause concern. Teachers will be patrolling the school, day and night, to ensure the safety of you, our students. But on a lighter note, we have recruited many magical creatures to our cause with great success – Now, LET THE FEAST BEGIN!"

The next few weeks at Hogwarts were mayhem; they were always waiting, always ready, for an attack that never came. The pupils were struggling as the timetables were undergoing many crucial changes and the only students allowed out after school hours were those on a Quidditch team. In fact, the only beneficial part of the new rules was that the teachers and pupils formed closer bonds and were more flexible and less contradicting of each other in lessons. And most of the teachers were so over-tired that they even forgot to give homework regularly…until Hermione spoke up.

"Morning, class," Flitwick yawned.

"But, Professor, it's the afternoon."

"Oh my, so it is," Flitwick gasped, looking at his watch closely, "Now, today we are going to be looking at----"

He was cut off by a loud ringing noise. It was the attack alarm and the students had been told to expect a drill sometime in the week. The alarm was a new Ministry of Magic Safety requirement, to be installed in all communal wizarding facilities; no risks were to be taken at such a dangerous time. The students filed out on to the Quidditch pitch and sorted themselves into houses as quickly and efficiently as possible. They also had to sort themselves into years within those houses so that the teachers could take registers down the many lines of students and check that no-one was missing.

"Very good," Dumbledore congratulated the school, "Now, if this had been a real attack then you would all have been allocated an escape route or, if the situation wasn't that urgent, a hiding place to wait out the attack. You may all return to your lessons,"

Hogwarts were bringing in plenty of new security measures but nothing it could do would make the students feel like they were completely safe and out of harm's way. But the truth was that no-one could offer them full safety and Hogwarts was proclaimed the safest place in the country for witches and wizards as it had met every safety requirement issued and had not yet undergone an attack they couldn't handle.

They had Transfiguration after Charms and McGonagall was waiting for the class in her cat form, as she often did, and transformed into her human self once the class had all filed silently into the classroom.

"Today, class," she announced, "You will not be having your usual Transfiguration lesson," there were gasps from the class, "instead, we shall be gathering on the Quidditch pitch to give you the opportunity to get some fresh air. Then you shall receive your NEWT timetables which you will follow for the next two years. However, these schedules are also taking into account the need to defend yourself from Voldemort – don't look at me like that, Dean, we all must use his real name now – so the timetables have a list of defensive clubs which will give you the knowledge to defend yourself if ever you get caught up in a fight."

She led them onto the Quidditch pitch and they were all allocated a seat in front of where the staff seats for Quidditch matches were.

"This is indeed a glorious day," Dumbledore smiled down at the entire sixth years from where he stood, "but we will, in essence, have to spoil it for you by giving out your NEWT timetables. I know that you were supposed to have these at the start of the year but, due to various…setbacks, they have been altered so that every student takes every subject – regardless of whether you were originally taking it for NEWT or not. These timetables will now be issued in alphabetical order. Please remain seated until your name is called."

The afternoon was long and boring for those near the bottom of the alphabet and once you had your timetable you were to return to the common room. Harry and Ron were beginning to doze off in the heat of the sun when Harry's name was finally called.

"Potter, Harry,"

"See you later, mate." said Harry, clapping a hand on Ron's shoulder and giving him a sympathetic grin.

"Yeah, bye Harry." Ron grimaced. Harry hid a small smile as he collected his timetable; it looked very challenging:

**_POTTER, HARRY J _**

_ **1 2 3 4 5 6**_

**_MONDAY_**_ DADA DADA POT H.O.M.__ DIVIN COMC_

_ Lupin Lupin Snape Binns Trelawney Hagrid_

****

**_TUESDAY_**_ COMC HERB.__ HERB. FREE DADA TRANSF _

_ Hagrid Sprout Sprout o/c: Duelling Lupin McGonagall_

****

**_WEDNESDAY_**_ TRANSF__ H.O.M. CHARMS CHARMS ASTRO DADA_

_ McGonagall Binns Flitwick Flitwick Sinestra Lupin_

****

**_THURSDAY _**_POT POT FREE TRANSF COMC HERB_

_ Snape Snape o/c: Study Club McGonagall Hagrid Sprout_

****

**_FRIDAY _**_DIVIN ASTRO TRANSF DADA POT POT_

_Firenze__ Sinestra McGonagall Lupin Snape Snape_

****

**_SATURDAY _**_FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE_

_ o/c: Medicine o/c: DADA o/c: COMC o/c: o/c:Potion o/c:Charms_

_ In battle Medicines in defence in battle_

**_SUNDAY _**_FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE Quidditch_

_ o/c: Duelling o/c:D.P. o/c: A&D Quidditch Team Practice Matches_

**_KEY: -_**

_DADA – Defence Against the Dark Arts._

_POT – Potions.___

_H.O.M. – History of Magic._

_DIVIN – Divination._

_COMC – Care of Magical Creatures.___

_HERB – Herbology.___

_TRANSF – Transfiguration._

_ASTRO – Astronomy._

_D.P. – Dangerous Potions.___

_A&D – Attack and Defence.___

_Lunch Break will be between periods 3 and 4._

_All clubs are optional and your free time in the evenings, after lessons, doesn't change but you will be given extra homework to do to make up for extra free periods._

_Wake up call is at __7am_

_No-one is allowed out of their House's tower after __9.00pm_

_Bedtime is at __10.30pm__ (latest.)._

Harry's lessons didn't look too bad – and there was no doubt that he'd be attending several of the clubs (all the ones where he could learn spell to fight – attacking and defending.). He waited with Hermione in the common room until Ron arrived, looking thoroughly miserable.

"Bluddy great," he muttered sarcastically under his breath. Hermione glanced quickly at Harry and raised her eyebrows as the surly Ron shuffled over.

"What's up with you?" she inquired casually.

"Yeah – you're getting as grumpy as Mad-Eye Moody's been lately."

"Five potions lessons a week!"

"It's only a one lesson more than before," Hermione informed him.

"Yeah, but four of the lessons are in two double blocks!"

"At least we balance it out with Defence lessons from Lupin," Harry said brightly.

"I suppose so…though he'll have to start making us knuckle down big time soon as well…which clubs are you two going to?"

"I don't know yet – I want to find out a bit more about them first," Hermione answered.

"Same here," agreed Harry, looking thoughtful, "though I'll probably go to most of the Defence and Attack style ones. I want to be able to fight when the time comes."

"Me too," said Ron enthusiastically.

"I'd like to go into Nursing and help Madame Pomfrey out in the Hospital Wing and I think learning about medicines will be useful and give me plenty of experience. But I'll probably come with you to the Duelling club as well."

Their new timetables came into action the following week and Harry was just thankful that his first two lessons were Defence Against the Dark Arts. He was in the same class as Hermione and Ron for that which made it a lot easier to cope with the fact that Draco Malfoy was also in their class.

"So, Potter," he sneered as they entered the classroom, "how long do you think it will be before Dumbledore is thrown out again?"

"Stick a sock in it, Malfoy – Dumbledore's not going anywhere."

Once inside the classroom, Lupin began dishing out the NEWT books to each member of the class.

"We will be working from these books for homework due to e recently enforced Ministry law. I will set you a different section each week for homework and you will get a small test every so often. But we'll start off easy as I happen to know that you're lessons today are all reasonable gruelling and I don't want you tired out after just the first lesson."

"Are you saying that Professor Snape's lessons are gruelling?" drawled Malfoy.

"Not at all, Draco. I am merely suggesting that today you have got a day full of difficult subjects if you find them difficult. And not everyone feels as comfortable in potions as you do, Mr. Malfoy, because not many are quite so accomplished."

It was an enjoyable lesson and Harry managed each task set with considerable ease. Five minutes before the bell went, Harry grabbed the sleeve of Lupin's robe as the professor passed him.

"Are the werewolves here?"

"Yes, Harry."

"When's the next full moon?"

"Eleven days away; why?"

"I just wondered."

"Don't go anywhere near the Shrieking Shack, Harry. In case you've forgotten, I will be in there and I will not be under the effects of Wolfsbane."

The lesson ended and Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged gloomily down to the dungeons.

"QUIET!" Snape bellowed as they took their seats. Silence fell as soon as the command was issued, "I am most displeased because I believe that all students are now required to do NEWT potions instead of the select few who are good enough."

"Sir," Malfoy spoke up, "what would you do if another teacher insulted your teaching?"

"It would depend on which teacher it was. Why?"

"Never mind," Malfoy shrugged.

"Draco Malfoy, what lesson have you just come from?"

"I can't say, sir. Potter might curse me."

"He will do no such thing…now, tell me which lesson you have just come from!"

"I still can't," Malfoy pretended to be nervous.

"Why not?"

"Potter might----"

"POTTER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING!"

"We came from Defence Against the Dark Arts, sir."

"Lupin…" Snape hissed venomously, writing the instructions hurriedly on the board before storming out of the room, cloak billowing out behind him in its usual fashion. The class glared at Malfoy, save for the Slytherins who smirked. If looks could kill then Malfoy would have been murdered many times in that instance.

Ten minutes of frantic textbook work later, Snape strode back into the room looking no more or less murderous than when he'd left. The class continued to work in silence with Snape breathing down their necks and throwing snide comments everywhere, taking points off any Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw that dared even to breathe too loudly.

Eventually the day ended after a fairly relaxed Care of Magical Creatures lesson. There had been a serious lack of concentration in the class and Hagrid had picked up on it, so their lesson was spent looking at several pictures of Dragon Eggs and playing snap with Deadly Dragon trading cards. Another reason for the relaxed atmosphere was that the small dragon Hagrid had requested had escaped into the Forbidden Forest and no-one was in the mood to go chasing after it.

In the Gryffindor common room that night, all the sixth years were brooding over how much homework they had been given: - memorise ten facts about Gorgons for Lupin, write two rolls of parchment on the Polyjuice potion and its uses for Snape, one roll of parchment on the prejudice between pure bloods and half bloods for Binns, five different ways to read the future for Trelawny and researching three ways to capture a dragon for Hagrid. It hardly seemed fair that so much had been given on the first day of the new timetable. They would have to do it as the chances of an attack were very unlikely. If there was an attack, the homework would either have an extended deadline or be cancelled. For the first time ever, the students at Hogwarts were _hoping_ for an attack!

When the next full moon arrived it was a Friday night. Snape had been looking very smug in potions that day and Harry knew it was because he was relishing the fact that he complete power over Lupin and could probably get the Defence teacher to do anything within reason in exchange for Wolfsbane Potion. The night was as silent as all others. Harry could only guess that Lupin had somehow managed to keep himself quiet or the other werewolves had kept him quiet.

Saturday morning dawned and Harry skipped breakfast to have a lie-in, something he rarely got any more. When he'd got dressed, he headed down to Lupin's classroom. He knew the club wouldn't be on but he needed a walk and maybe Ron and Hermione would be down there.

He finally found them outside, stretched out in the sun. Hermione was reading up on Dragons while Ron was irritating her by rambling on about what shapes the clouds were making.

"Where the hell were you?" Harry demanded, "I searched the entire school!"

"Sorry, Harry, but medicine club was cancelled. Madame Pomfrey said she was busy and didn't want anyone in the hospital wing."

"Did she say why?"

"No – now move, please, you're blocking the sun."

"Is the DADA club thingy on?" Ron asked lazily.

"No, it was a full moon last night, remember?"

"Oh yeah…do you think that's why Pomfrey's busy? She could be patching up the werewolves."

"Ron, you're a genius!"

"Wow, I've been called many names but never a genius!" Ron puffed out his chest triumphantly, sitting up and squinting at Harry.

"That's because you're not a genius."

"Way to burst the bubble, Hermione,"

"Anytime, Ronald."

The winter sun turned to winter storms and the Christmas holidays were only three weeks away, which excited the students greatly. The full moon had passed but Lupin still didn't teach on Monday. This meant that Snape took Defence and then double potions straight afterwards. And three lessons in a row with Snape is three lessons too many!

However, Herbology on Tuesday was interesting, to say the least. The class had to learn how to care for some particularly aggressive pot plants. Harry took the first chance he got to 'trip over' and land on Malfoy sending him lurching forward into the clutches of the most aggressive pot plant there. It began pulling out tufts of his blonde hair and the class was hysterical for ages afterwards, even after Malfoy had been freed and had his hair magically replaced. Five points were taken from Gryffindor for carelessness but no-one cared – it had been thoroughly worth it.

After lunch, Harry went to the duelling club. McGonagall and Flitwick were taking it and put on a spectacular demonstration of duelling skills. Hermione was then up against Harry and they had the awed attention of every student and teacher in the room. There were spells and hexes flying from one to the other in such quick succession that it was impossible to keep track. But one thing was made clear; they were using spells far beyond the standard they should've been working at. There were literally fireworks flying and even the sullenest Slytherin looked impressed.

Peering round the door of the Defence classroom, Harry practically had his eyes shut for fear of who would be teaching. The whole class was bunched up behind him, waiting with bated breath for the all clear or the 'wands away and mouth shut' signal.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Lupin's mild voice asked him. Harry looked up in relief and the class literally fell into the room, landing in a tangled heap, apart from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle who stood stubbornly in the doorway.

"Sorry, professor, but we thought grease ball would be teaching," Ron laughed. A snicker went round the class as they took their seats.

"I assume you are talking about Professor Snape?" Lupin frowned.

"Who else?" grinned Harry, taking his seat. He pulled out his wand, quill and some parchment and then looked up at Lupin, who was writing something on the board. As he moved along, Harry noticed that he had a limp and was putting as little weight as possible on his right leg. Everyone seemed to have noticed but no-one dared to comment…until Malfoy stopped writing and noticed, that is.

"What's the matter with your leg, sir?"

"None of your concern, Mr. Malfoy."

"A bit touchy are you, sir? Not surprising when you're a werewolf and the full moon's just been. What happened – did you finally realise you're not wanted here and try to kill yourself?" Malfoy was provoking Lupin but the Professor just continued writing on the board, fighting the urge to hit Malfoy, "well, sir? What happened – we're all waiting for an answer! I'm sure I'm not the only one in here who prefers grease ball to fleabag. I'm sure we'd all be happy to help you pack if you want to leave."

"Mr. Malfoy, get out of my classroom and go straight to Dumbledore."

"Am I supposed to obey you? Because I'm not going to – pure bloods don't take orders from the likes of you dangerous half-breeds."

"OUT NOW, MR. MALFOY!" Lupin shouted, causing Malfoy to turn as white as a sheet.

"Fine," he hissed, a malicious smirk creeping over his features, "but what will Professor Snape say when he finds out you threatened to bite me?" Malfoy grabbed his bag and fled the classroom, speeding off towards the dungeon, leaving a furious class behind him. Now it was Lupin's turn to go white.

"Sorry for Mr. Malfoy's outrageous behaviour, everyone. Read section two and I will be back as soon as I have safely escorted young Draco to the Headmaster's office," Lupin left the room, making a pathetic attempt to conceal his limp as he did so.

Once he was gone, the class erupted into angry chatter.

"How dare he say that!"

"Who does Malfoy think he is?"

"I'll kill him personally if Lupin's sacked!"

"Why does he have to be such a --- ooh!"

"It's not fair!"

Harry sat in silence, his anger bubbling up close to boiling point. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, he snapped,

"THAT DOES IT! Malfoy thinks he's so great when really he's just a baby-faced, good-for-nothing, Slytherin b-------!"

"MR. POTTER!" Snape burst into the room, "you will come with me to Dumbledore's office right now. He'll be furious when he finds out that you're saying such things and that Lupin's not doing his job!"

"Dumbledore will know Lupin's not teaching by now anyway," Harry whispered so that Snape couldn't hear him.

The potions master rapped sharply on the door of Dumbledore's office and entered on Dumbledore's reply.

"Ah, Severus, I was about to call for you – but what is Harry doing here?"

"He was raging around and insulting other students in the class Lupin was _supposed_ to be teaching, Headmaster!"

"There is a perfectly valid explanation to both those accusations, Severus. It seems that Mr. Malfoy has been causing trouble. Harry is merely angry on behalf of Remus."

"What had Malfoy done?" Snape asked.

"If you read this, I believe you will find your explanations," Dumbledore handed Snape a bit of parchment.

"It's all lies – Lupin made it up!"

"I highly doubt that, considering that I wrote this down as I watched the memory in the Pensieve."

"But Potter still had no right to----"

"He had every right, Severus. Remus, kindly show Professor Snape what Mr. Malfoy did while you were bringing him up to me,"

Harry noticed for the first time since he'd been there that Lupin was sat at the edge of the room. The Defence teacher smiled wanly at him and Harry noticed that Lupin was sporting a black eye and a rather nasty gash down the side of his head. His eyes were blood-shot and he hadn't said a word since Harry and Snape had arrived. Harry's face changed from shock to rage but he said nothing, looking in question to Dumbledore.

"Mr. Malfoy is believed to have used the Cruciatus curse and several of the darkest hexes which he could only have been taught by Voldemort. I believe Malfoy was under the effects of Imperious and was being controlled by his father. Remus couldn't retaliate or the Ministry would've seen to it that he was sacked and thrown in prison for attacking a student. And even I would not have been able to stop that from happening." Dumbledore looked grim as he explained. Snape looked shocked and his gaze had not yet left Lupin's face. Lupin had frozen and his face had turned blank. Snape walked slowly towards the Defence teacher and, looking curious, waved a hand in front of the werewolf's face. Lupin's eyes warned him off but as Snape turned round he brushed against Lupin's shoulder and was sent reeling back in pain.

"What happened? Why did that hurt so much?"

"An effect of one of the curses used on Remus. Severus, Mr. Malfoy knew how to fight Imperious and yet he didn't. The curse has been removed from him and the first thing he wanted to know was if he'd succeeded in doing his father's will or not. I believe that he is not fully to blame but he must still be punished. However, that is to be discussed at a later date. Now I must ask you both to leave. Severus, I will speak with you later. Harry, you must mention this to as few people as you can. They must not know the full story."

Later that day, after lessons finished, Harry went to his dorm and pulled out the invisibility cloak. There was almost certainly going to be a meeting to decide the fate of Malfoy and Harry wanted to be in the know about what was going on. He searched the school and finally came to McGonagall's classroom where the Hogwarts staff body was gathered.

"We cannot rush this decision," Dumbledore was trying to talk over the hubbub of mixed emotions; "We must discuss it first."

"What's there to talk about?" Hagrid's voice boomed out.

"Everything, Hagrid – we can decide nothing until Poppy arrives."

"Why not?"

"Because we need an update on exactly what curses were used on Remus and whether there will be any long-term damage. And we must also take Remus' own opinions into account."

"I still think Malfoy should be 'ung by 'is toes an' set on by Nifflers – an' then expelled for this," Hagrid mumbled, but he said little more after that.

"Alright, I'm here. Sorry to keep you waiting but a second year Ravenclaw managed to spill Bubbling Boils potion all over himself." Madame Pomfrey had walked briskly into the room and taken a seat next to Professor Sprout.

"Good evening, Poppy – how is Remus?"

"Sleeping at this precise moment in time under the effects of several healing potions but he should be teaching again tomorrow."

"And what of the curses?"

"Black magic – nothing I've ever seen before in all my years. The only one I was able to treat with ease was the after-effects of the cruciatus. I am certain that Voldemort and Lucius put Draco up to this but he certainly didn't put up a fight. It's either that or he did it completely of his own accord."

"I suspect that the first option is the more likely of the two."

"Remus has asked for Malfoy not to be expelled as then he will be initiated into the Death Eaters and will pose more of a threat to Harry than he does now. He simply asks that Malfoy is not allowed in any of his Defence lessons and must take that subject separately. And also that he receives detention twice a week with Filch until the end of his sixth year."

"Then we shall grant him those requests."

Harry couldn't bear to listen any more – why hadn't Lupin wanted Malfoy expelled? He headed to the Hospital Wing and saw his professor asleep. He knew it was wrong to wake him but he had to know about why he didn't want Malfoy dealt with more severely before the question drove him insane.

"Professor Lupin?" Harry edged cautiously forward.

"Harry? What are you doing here?" Lupin yawned, sitting up.

"I want to know why you don't want Malfoy expelled or at least more severely punished – he could've killed you!"

"I know, but I have my reasons and the Ministry would have to know every detail as to why a student was being taken out of Hogwarts protection in such dangerous times. And no-one really cares if people attack a werewolf. And Severus Snape has already agreed to give Malfoy the Defence lessons he should've been having with me but he'll do it in Malfoy's free time." Lupin finished, sinking back into the pillows and surveying Harry closely, waiting for the reaction.

"Snape doesn't understand!"

"He does – more that you know."

"Whatever…how's you're leg?"

"Aching – how did you know about that?"

"You weren't very successful at hiding your limp."

"Was it that obvious?" frowned Lupin.

"Yep," Harry grinned. Lupin quirked an eyebrow and folded his arms in amusement.

"You'd better get back to your dorm, Harry – and don't go listening in on any more meetings that are supposed to be secret. One day you'll hear something that you really won't want to hear…"

"Ok," Harry agreed, crossing his fingers behind his back. He left the Hospital Wing and crept back into his dorm unnoticed by his sleeping friends.

**A/N: -** I hope no-one minds that Lupin is getting a lot of attention in this story! I just think he's a great character and want to give him more of a starring role! Ok, review and I'll update when I can!


	11. Snuffles

****

****

**A/N: -** SOOOO SORRY! I never meant for this chapter to be up so late but I was banned from the uploading for a week for inappropriate language in a story…except for the fact that the story in question, which was automatically removed, had been up since Christmas 2003 and was rated PG with nothing stronger than "Oh my God!" in it…anyway, please review for me – I need a boost!

****

****

**Chapter Eleven – Snuffles.**

The next day was stormy. Grayish-black clouds darkened the skies and rain was threatening to fall. And what made matters worse was that Hermione was in a foul mood and was taking it out on Ron in the common room at lunchtime.

"Do you have to do that?" Hermione snapped.

"Yes," Ron replied, continuing to flick noisily backwards and forwards through his potions textbook.

"Can you at least be a bit quieter?"

"No," Ron said sourly.

"Do you have to be so rude to me? You're always so bad-tempered and stubborn!"

"Me, bad-tempered? It's you with the problem today, Hermione. You haven't stopped complaining all day!"

"Well sorry for trying to do my homework in peace!"

"So you should be if it makes you this stroppy all the time."

"ARGH!" Hermione three her hands up in exasperation, slammed her book shut and stormed up to the Girls' Dormitories.

"What's her problem?" Ron snorted, giving up on potions reading and taking a seat opposite Harry and reaching for his Butterbeer.

"Maybe she had…you know…girl problems,"

"I never thought of that," groaned Ron.

"You wouldn't." Harry frowned, taking a swig of Butterbeer.

"What was that mate? Are you implying that I'm insensitive to girls?"

"Well, you are a bit insensitive sometimes, Ron," Harry said apologetically. Ron just made a 'humph' sound and drank his Butterbeer in three gulps. The bell rang for afternoon lessons and the two boys scarpered in hope of avoiding Hermione's wrath when she flounced down the stairs seconds after they'd escaped through the portrait hole.

In Charms they were practicing advanced levitation of large and living objects. They levitated each other and just about everything else in the Charms classroom until Flitwick called a halt and restored the room to it's original state of tidiness. Astronomy was the next lesson and the only thing keeping the students going was the knowledge that they had Defence Against the Dark Arts next and it was bound to be interesting.

"Please sit down, class. Now, due to Mr. Malfoy's little – explosion- the other day he will no longer be in these lessons. But as good as that sounds to you, it meant I didn't have time to prepare a practical so I'm afraid you'll have to work from textbooks and do a practical next lesson."

"Professor?"

"Yes, Parvati?"

"What are we studying after Christmas?"

"Dark Creatures," Lupin answered shortly, "and yes, that does include werewolves. They are being recruited by Voldemort _and_ they're on the NEWT syllabus so you have a doubly good reason to study them."

"But sir----"

"No buts please, Ron. I'm the Defence teacher so, funnily enough, if it's on my syllabus to teach then I have to teach it to you!"

The class began working from the textbooks quietly but had been working for all of five minutes when Lupin just set the rest of the section for homework and started teaching them how to get rid on unwanted pixies that would be lurking in Christmas trees. He didn't have any real pixies so he just taught them the incantation and explained why Christmas pixies were different to those that Lockhart had shown them. Lupin was aware that the holidays were soon to begin and he didn't wish to press too much hard work on them beforehand; the real work would start after the Christmas holidays and after January 5th's full moon.

Finally, the Christmas holidays arrived. They broke up on the 19th December and everyone was getting excited. Harry, Ron and Hermione would be going back to spend Christmas at Grimmauld Place. Harry was feeling a little dismal, what with it being the first Christmas for a while without Sirius being around. They arrived at the house at midday and were greeted enthusiastically by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Bill, Fred, George and Tonks, whose hair was a deep red with bleach blonde highlights.

"Wotcher, Harry," she greeted, winking at him.

"Hello Tonks!" Ginny Weasley pushed forward, "you ok?"

"Fine thanks, Ginny – I've got something to show you and I need your opinion on it," Tonks led Ginny off into the cellar.

"So, how are you, Harry?" Fred asked.

"I'm great," Harry replied in a falsely cheery voice. Fred and George raised their eyebrows and shrugged, heading off in the direction of the kitchen, discussing something in low whispers. Harry made a mental note to check all the food before he ate it. Ginny had come back with Tonks and in her arms was a small, black puppy. It had pointy ears and a long snout.

"That looks like Snuffles," Harry's voice cracked.

"He's the dog for the Order. We thought it could be a present to all of you kids." Tonks told him brightly.

"We thought you should get the honour of naming him, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, pushing his horn-rimmed glasses up onto the bridge of his nose from where they had slipped.

"I…I don't know."

"Take your time in deciding, dear. Dinner will be ready at six o'clock so you can tell us the name you've chosen then. There's a plate of sandwiches and other nibbles up in your rooms as we have an important meeting down here." Mrs. Weasley bustled them up the stairs along with Fred and George, who for once didn't complain.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George were sat in the Harry and Ron's room eating lunch. The puppy had been sent up with them and it was bounding around the room like it was possessed…the truth being that it was looking for the dog food that Fred had hidden under the wardrobe.

"Give him the food, Fred," sighed Hermione.

"No, this is funny."

"All the yapping is giving me a headache!"

"Oh well – he can have the food when he finds it. Anyway, what are you going to call him, Harry?"

"I'm not sure."

"I think it should be Snuffles," Ron said.

"Or Padfoot," Hermione added.

"Hermione, there was only ever one Padfoot, and there are other members of the Order to think about. We have to make sure it's a name that everyone approves of," Harry said glumly.

"Call him Snuffles," Ron persisted, "that way it's in Sirius' memory but it's more subtle and he won't always be compared to Sirius' dog-like mannerisms."

"Snuffles it is then, Ron," beamed Harry, looking round for everyone's approval. All who were present nodded and Snuffles was named.

At five o'clock Harry, Ron and Hermione were up in Buckbeak's room to feed him the dead rats that were kept in a cupboard just outside the room. They were just watching Buckbeak lick his lips when they heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley coming upstairs arguing.

"He doesn't have to know, Arthur."

"Molly, you can't keep hiding stuff from Harry – he needs to know every bit of what's going on."

"And what _is_ going on?" Harry poked his head round the door to Buckbeak's room in curiosity.

"Nothing, nothing," Mrs. Weasley replied hurriedly.

"Well, actually there is something. There are these things called prophecies, Harry." Mr. Weasley continued.

"And there is one about me and Voldemort saying that only one of us will survive the last battle," Harry's voice screamed boredom and there was a stunned silence as the Weasleys took on what he was saying. Harry had already known about the prophecy – but the Weasleys didn't know that. There was noting left to argue about.

"Harry, you knew?"

"Since just after Sirius died,"

"Then…you're not worried?"

"Why should I be? It doesn't change anything. Deep down, I've always known that I would have to kill Voldemort or he would kill me – that's nothing new. Now I just know the reasoning behind it."

The Order gathered round to dinner at six o'clock as planned. It was an informal catch-up on what had been going on. All Harry could hear at first was a string of violent curses towards the Malfoy family, mainly from Mundungus and Moody.

"I do not think you should be discussing my student in such a manner that I can hear every single word you say," Snape remarked icily. Mundungus sniggered – his main objective had been to irritate Snape and this proved that he was doing very well at it.

"Harry, dear, do eat something," Mrs. Weasley said as she passed him.

"I will, Mrs. Weasley," replied Harry absent mindedly. His eyes were locked with those of Snape's and it was beginning to feel like a giant staring contest.

"Severus, do try some of the sandwiches – they're marvelous," Dumbledore broke Snape's gaze away from Harry and thrust a plate of food in front of the potions master. Harry grasped the opportunity to scuttle into a corner with his plate of food but he came crashing to the ground just before he reached it.

"Snuffles!" he exclaimed as he brushed himself off and blew the dust off his sandwiches. Everyone's eyes were on Harry and the dog.

"You ok, Harry?" Tonks asked him.

"Fine, I tripped over Snuffles, that's all." he replied sullenly, feeling a little humiliated as his face went as red as Ron's hair. The group began their general chatter again and Harry was soon caught up in the party atmosphere.

"Harry, can I speak with you a moment?"

"Sure."

"Severus has just informed me that you've been having dreams that are indicating all possible consequences of the war that involve the Order's destruction," Said Dumbledore.

"How did he----"

"He read into your eyes and has told me that you weren't very successful at hiding your mind from him while you held eye contact."

"That's why he held my gaze for so long…"

"Yes, and that's why you will be re-taking Occlumency as an extra NEWT."

"No – why?"

"You need to block your mind more now than ever if we are to keep letting you in on the meetings. And you are also putting those you care about in danger. If Voldemort sees those you care about most then he will use it to his advantage, like he did with Sirius."

"Fine, I'll take Occlumency…" Harry agreed sourly, shooting daggers at Snape, who was talking grimly to Lupin. Dumbledore ushered Harry over to them.

"Harry has decided to take Occlumency again, Severus. You can decide when the lessons are according to which periods you have free and which periods Harry has free without a club."

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape said, walking away.

"You're re-taking Occlumency? Harry, that's brilliant!" Lupin clapped him on the back.

"I didn't really get much of a choice in the matter."

"But we're one step closer to defeating Voldemort if he can't see our plans."

"I suppose so – but, professor, how much do we actually _know_ of his plans?"

"We know his recruiting dark creatures through blackmail or by making promises he knows he can't keep. For instance, he's offering werewolves the chance to be cured – which we all know is impossible. If they refuse to join him then he sets Peter on them with that silver hand of his."

"I hate being caught up in all this."

"Join the club," offered Fred, joining the conversation along with George, "we're getting t-shirts. Oh, and I should probably warn you, Harry."

"About what?" Harry asked. Lupin walked off as Mrs. Weasley gave the dessert call.

"Don't eat the dessert…we'll give you some later but the stuff Mum's put out is all rigged with hexes and some of our special ingredients." Said George, grinning widely as he watched the Order pile their plates with pudding.

"Ok, everyone, dessert's up!" Mrs. Weasley shouted again.

"I think I'll pass on that one thanks, Molly." Lupin said, throwing a wink in the direction of Fred and George.

"Yeah, me too," added Harry.

"And us," said Fred and George, faking that they were full to bursting (which would not be a pretty sight!). They strode over to where Lupin was sat and Harry followed to see what they were doing.

"Spill it, Lupin," Fred laughed.

"How did you know we'd adjusted the puddings?" George finished.

"Simple – I happen to know that you found those recipes under a floorboard in the Gryffindor dorms just before you left Hogwarts." Beamed Lupin, enjoying the reactions of the flabbergasted twins and amazed Harry.

"Oh yeah, those – heh – we hope you don't mind us using them…"

"Not at all – I've never seen the hexes and special ingredients so cleverly disguised. Every time James and Sirius tried it then the food always changed colour…And I expect the ballooning bakewells will be taking effect soon so I suggest you take a seat and watch unless you want to miss it." Lupin gestured over to where Tonks and Ginny had already blown up like balloons and were beginning to float round the room.

What did Snape eat?" asked Harry.

"Wait and see," replied George excitedly. At that moment, Snape shrieked.

"What, in Merlin's name, is going on here?!" he yelled, voice higher pitched than Flitwick's (and that was saying something). He was acting like a ballerina, pirouetting round the room in a very graceful fashion.

"Ballerina Banoffee Pie," Fred informed Harry. Tottering Treacle Tart and Ice Cream Illusions were also beginning to have amusing effects on the members of the Order. Harry, Fred and George were hysterical but Lupin, feeling he should really be doing something about the situation, desperately tried to keep a straight face, although he couldn't help but chuckle as Snape did a particularly elegant twirl. Dumbledore was the only other person not to have eaten dessert – even Snuffles had eaten some off the floor and was floating round the room, blown up like a balloon!

The state of uncontrollable merriment lasted for little more that ten minutes before Lupin decided enough was enough and ordered Fred and George to start doling out the reversal punch which would reverse the effects of any products in the 'Dangerous Desserts' range.

"Well, that was different," giggled Tonks.

"Fred and George Weasley – you are in _big_ trouble!" screeched Mrs. Weasley, "and I never thought you would be the one to encourage them, Remus!"

"Sorry, Molly," Lupin apologised, looking very shame-faced.

"I believe that this little stunt deserves a punishment," a red-faced Snape growled.

"Oh, lighten up, Severus – it was a bit of harmless fun."

"Ok, everyone, I think we should call it a night."

"Good idea, Arthur – Minerva and I should probably be returning to Hogwarts," Dumbledore smiled.

"I'll be coming with yeh," Hagrid said.

"I shall also be joining you – I need to mark the potions essays written by the fourth years or I'll never get it done." Snape stepped forward and the small group left while everyone who was left cleared up the mess.

The next few days leading up to Christmas passed slowly. On Christmas Eve, Harry and Ron went shopping in Diagon Alley (which had recovered from the attack rather nicely) with Hermione and Tonks. Mad-Eye Moody also joined them.

"What would Ginny like?" Hermione asked no-one in particular.

"Ginny likes anything," Ron said dismissively.

"Not helpful, Ron," sighed Hermione, eventually deciding on a pink fluffy notebook that automatically corrected spelling and grammar mistakes and a pen that never ran out. Ron was also trying to find something for his sister as well and finally picked out a box if never-ending chocolates. But Harry was struggling to find presents for the twins.

That night Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Hermione were all sent to their rooms early. It was only seven and nobody had eaten yet. The house was filled with excitement and happiness but also with a pang of sadness as there was no Sirius to tramp up and tramp up and down the hall and annoy them with Christmas songs.

"Children, come down!" called Mrs. Weasley. There was a noise like thunder as six pairs of feet stampeded down the stairs. They walked cautiously into the kitchen and gasped at what they saw.

"It's beautiful," breathed Hermione.

The kitchen was lit with hundreds of twinkling lights, strung across the ceiling and down the walls in a glowing waterfall. It was decorated without using magic, as the children were later informed, and yet it all still looked so magical. There was a Christmas tree already set up and decorated in silver and white. There were pine needles strewn across the floor and there were gifts under the tree. The table was lit by candles and the seating arrangements were done alphabetically with a name card and picture to represent the occupant of that seat. The only two who weren't seated alphabetically were Dumbledore and Hagrid, who were seated at either end of the table. There was a tremendous layout of food on the table: - roast chicken, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, gravy, stuffing, turkey, gammon, runner beans, beef, bread sauce, Yorkshire puddings, cranberry sauce, Christmas puddings, and treacle tarts, mince pies with several jugs of drink spread across the table, including mulled wine, fruit punch and sherry.

"I though Christmas dinner was supposed to be on Christmas day," said a confused Harry.

"Not all of the Order are available tomorrow, Harry," Dumbledore explained.

"Why not? No-one's going off to get themselves killed, are they?"

"No, but all of us teachers have to be at Hogwarts and we can't not go. Any students that are staying there will be in danger and Voldemort could try and place spies inside while things are more relaxed," Lupin said mildly.

"Well then, now that's cleared up – let's tuck in!" Arthur Weasley smiled broadly at everyone and they all sat down to dinner.

The group happily tucked in, the huge plates of food slowly emptying until there were only a few scraps left – which were fed to the ecstatic Snuffles. Mrs. Weasley and Emmeline Vance took everyone's plates and brought bowls and spoons for dessert, while everyone else continued their merry chatter.

"I'm seriously gonna do summat drastic if that bluddy Voldemort don't die soon!" Mundungus slurred, having already drunk far too much sherry. Most of the adults were at least a little tipsy, apart from Snape who got more and more serious with every drink he had.

"What're you going to do, Dung?" Fred asked.

"Breathe on old Voldie until he faints, most probably," George replied. There was a huge peal of laughter at this from the rest of the group and Hermione looked disgusted, getting up to go and help Mrs. Weasley and Emmeline Vance with the bowls they were balancing on every available space on their arms.

"Don't go, sweet maiden," Mundungus called after her, falling off his chair and 'zonking out' on the floor. By now, people were wiping the tears from their eyes from where they'd been laughing so much.

"Severus, mate, you look a bit glum – ain't you had enough to fill your tum?" Mundungus garbled in his semi-conscious state. Snape scowled at anyone who dared to laugh…which was practically everyone.

"What would Sirius say if he could see us now?" Fred laughed.

"He'd say: 'How dare you start the party without me and who the hell drank all my sherry?!" George finished. Even Harry found himself in hysterical laughter as they continued to discuss that Sirius would've made. It was true – Sirius would've loved to be there with all his closest friends, with those he cared about. Harry looked round at all those he'd become so close to in the past year and a bit. His thoughts stayed on Sirius and what his Godfather's opinion was of each person in the room. His eyes met those of Lupin, who raised his glass slightly in a silent toast to Sirius' memory, an action which Harry instantly mirrored. At least there was one other person who understood just how much losing Sirius had hurt – at least he wasn't alone.

"So, what are the arrangements for tomorrow evening?" asked Tonks.

"Arthur and you will meet with Severus, Minerva and I at Hogsmeade at six in the evening," said Dumbledore in reply.

"Got it…what about Harry and the others?"

"There will always be someone in here; Molly will be here along with Mad-Eye and Mundungus…Remus may be able to make it here in the evening at some point."

"I should be able to get here for a little while at about seven," Lupin added. It didn't matter that the people talking were at opposite ends of the table but Harry would've appreciated them talking a little quieter.

The dessert was finally served; it was a steaming Christmas pudding with a galleon, a sickle and a Knut hidden somewhere inside it.

"Good luck with finding the coins, everyone," Emmeline Vance said with a smile, handing out the bowls of pudding. Fred Weasley found the Knut almost instantly and Mad-Eye Moody found the sickle not long after. Dedalus Diggle found the Galleon and his squeaky voice rose above everyone else's cheerful voices and he cheered with delight. Even Mundungus opened one eye to see what was going on.

"Well done, well done," Dumbledore congratulated Diggle enthusiastically.

After dessert the group continued to talk for hours until everyone was practically dead with exhaustion.

"I think I'm going to turn in for the night," Mr. Weasley yawned at eleven o'clock.

"Top idea, Arthur," growled Moody, joining the few that had agreed with Arthur in going to bed.

"I'll just set the washing going and then I think I'll follow your lead," Mrs. Weasley set the dishes going, enchanting all the dirty cutlery and plates to wash themselves and put themselves in neat piles in the correct cupboards. By eleven-thirty everyone had retired to bed.

At the same moment, in a forest in Northern Scotland, Voldemort's army was grouping together and preparing for their next attacks.

**A/N: -** Next chappie up as soon as I can manage it – please review – thank you!


	12. Christmas Attacks

**A/N: -** So, here is the next chapter – again I'm sorry it takes me so long to update each time but I'm preparing a story which starts on 11th November in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles category to mark my one year anniversary on ! Tee hee, I hope you like this chapter and review at the bottom to let me know what you think…

****

****

**Chapter 12 – Christmas Attacks**

Christmas Day dawned and Harry awoke to see a pile of presents at the foot of his bed. He jumped up and began opening them excitedly. From Ron he had a box of twenty-four chocolate frogs. From Hermione he received a leather-bound book on Occlumency and its advantages. He chuckled to himself as he opened it – this was one present he was seriously going to need! From Fred and George there was a hamper of tricks and other such things from their shop. From Mr. and Mrs. Weasley there was a knitted sweater, navy blue with a white thunderbolt. He put it on over his pyjamas t-shirt and began to walk downstairs. He got to the kitchen and found everyone sat round the tree except for Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape, McGonagall and Lupin, who'd all left for Hogwarts, leaving their presents at Grimmauld Place to open when they returned. Harry assumed this meant they would make it back but he was cut short by a rather disheveled Hagrid appearing in the fireplace.

"Sorry, ev'ryone, but we just won't be makin' it back tonight. Dumbledore said could yeh send the gifts though?"

"Certainly, Hagrid," Mr. Weasley smiled. Hagrid thanked him and waved to them before disappearing again.

"Looks like one of us has to go to Hogwarts and hand out the gifts then," Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"I'll do it, Molly," Mr. Weasley stood up and let his wife pass the presents for those at Hogwarts to him. He gave them a final wave, donned a Santa cap, and left the house.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Mr. Weasley stepped into Hagrid's hut.

"Thank Merlin you're here, Arthur," Lupin panted as he ran up to Mr. Weasley, looking as if he'd been dragged through about a thousand hedges backwards.

"What's happened?" Mr. Weasley asked, putting down the bag of presents.

"It seems that Hogsmeade has been attacked again, just as people had started to rebuild their lives there. Everyone there was killed…and they attacked the Shrieking Shack to try and get to Hogwarts via the tunnel onto the grounds."

"But – that means ----"

"We lost more than half the werewolves. Seventeen are dead, three are in St. Mungo's and nine have been forced to switch sides – we have only eleven left," Lupin looked, and sounded, beaten. He seemed about ready to give up. Arthur bit his lip,

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You won't be able to go back to Grimmauld Place if you stay here – you'll be busy all day."

"It's ok – I know Molly will understand."

"Molly, dear?" Arthur Weasley's head popped into the fireplace, looking round, and Lupin's head appeared a second later. Everyone jumped up and ran to kneel in front of the fireplace.

"What is it, Arthur?"

"I have to stay here and help, Molly – Hogsmeade was attacked again. We need anyone you can spare to help look for survivors and dig out the dead." Mr. Weasley explained. Suddenly, Lupin cursed and his head vanished.

"Arthur, hurry up! I can't hold the door – they're going to get in!" Lupin's startled voice could be heard.

"I have to go," Mr. Weasley smiled warmly at everyone, "see you all tomorrow!"

"Arthur, be careful!" Mrs. Weasley called into the fireplace as her husbands head disappeared and the flames roared up again.

"Where were they?" Harry asked, concern showing on his face.

"Hagrid's hut by the looks of it."

"Everyone apart from Mundungus, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny and myself must go and help at Hogwarts. Yes, that includes you, Bill." Mrs. Weasley ushered them all out of the doorway and once outside they all flagged down the Knight Bus and were off, zooming towards Hogwarts.

Five hours later, Mrs. Weasley was practically having a panic attack. They hadn't been contacted since Mr. Weasley and Lupin had called for back-up.

"I hope Arthur and Bill are alright," she half sobbed into Ginny's shoulder.

"When do you think they'll contact us to let us know they're ok?"

"As soon as the attacks are over," replied Mrs. Weasley. Harry, Ron and Hermione shared a worried look and walked upstairs to the room shared by Harry and Ron.

"I hope none of the Order has been killed…" Hermione gulped.

"They would've let us know by now if Dad or Bill was dead," said Ron, trying to sound optimistic. But deep down he knew it would be difficult to get in touch until the attack was over – and there were others in the Order that could've died.

"CHILDREN, COME DOWN HERE!" Mrs. Weasley's excited voice bellowed up the stairs. The three friends grinned at each other and sloped down the stairs to where Mrs. Weasley was stood beaming.

"We've heard from the Order!" Harry exclaimed in relief.

"Yes, we have. They drove off Voldemort's forces and are on their way back right now."

"Is anyone dead or injured? Who did you speak to? When will they be back? Can we listen when they tell you what happened?" the questions poured from Ron's mouth like blood from a wound.

"No-one's dead or hospitalized but some are suffering minor injuries – nothing that can't be treated easily though. I spoke to Alastor Moody and they will be back in the next ten minutes. Yes, you can listen to what happened as you were just as worried about them as I was and you have a right to know why they didn't contact us sooner."

"We're back!" Tonks called from the hallway.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Mrs. Weasley ran out and hugged her husband and son.

"Sorry if we had you worried, Mum, but we were too busy fighting to get to a fireplace at any point."

"Come through and tell everyone what happened…we've all been worried sick!"

"Shouldn't worry about us – well, maybe you should worry about Severus," Lupin smiled.

"Why?" inquired Mrs. Weasley.

"Because he almost had a heart attack when one of the werewolves saved his life," Lupin grinned broadly at Snape, receiving a withering glare in return from the pale-faced man, a splash of red appearing in his pallid cheeks.

"Yes, Severus is now in debt of one of the lycanthropes," said Dumbledore, "or he would be if said werewolf was still alive. We lost him and one more and now only nine remain."

"Things aren't going as smoothly as we'd hoped they would," sighed Moody.

"These things never do, Alastor," Dumbledore's face was unreadable but his eyes had temporarily lost their usual sparkle, "these things never do…"

Christmas remained a gloomy affair that night as no-one quite knew what to do next. The Order's members were each lost in their own individual thoughts and none of them felt like talking about the day they'd had. Nobody dared to speak, in fear of breaking the reflective silence. Eventually, Harry wandered up to bed when he could take no more of the silence, closely followed by Ron.

"That wasn't very cheerful, considering it's Christmas." He stated bluntly.

"We're losing before the final battle has even started. Voldemort has too many supporters and he's scared too many people into not taking sides."

"I want some action around here," Ron slammed his fist down on the bedside table.

"Wish granted," Harry grimaced as they heard an argument flaring up between Snape and Lupin.

"FINE! I'LL MAKE THE DAMN POTION! BUT YOU OWE ME BIG TIME, LUPIN!"

"Why does Snape always pick on Lupin?" asked Ron as they ventured downstairs to watch the commotion. Snape had walked out of the house, slamming the door as he went and leaving a shocked scene behind him.

"Because Lupin's a werewolf," answered Harry grimly. No doubt Snape wouldn't be in the best of moods if Lupin had won another argument with him. Harry and Ron walked into the kitchen and found the Order sat in silence once more, glancing awkwardly at each other.

"Um, what was that about?" questioned Ron.

"Never you mind," his mother replied briskly, "who's on patrol tonight?"

"I am," Lupin stood up wearily, "I'm supposed to be on patrol with Severus and Mundungus."

"Mundungus is still suffering from an extremely bad hangover!" Mrs. Weasley frowned disapprovingly, "and I do not think it is a good idea for you to be on patrol with Severus tonight."

"I'll take Lupin's shift tonight and he can have mine tomorrow," Moody growled, getting up and leaving before anyone could disagree – not that there would be any reason for anyone to disagree.

"Wha's goin' on?" Mundungus slurred as he thumped down the stairs and entered the kitchen drowsily, "it's meant to be me on patrol t'night."

"Moody's taken the places of you and Lupin." Tonks explained.

"Wha's up with Lupin?"

"Argument with Severus," Lupin answered simply, causing Mundungus to jump suddenly.

"Nothing new then," Mundungus flopped into a soft chair as Dumbledore excused himself, saying he should probably be getting back to Hogwarts.

"I think I should be coming with you, Dumbledore. I can at least make myself useful as Hogwarts that way," Lupin sighed.

"You are going nowhere, Remus - I insist you stay here and rest like the rest of the Order are doing" Mrs. Weasley blocked his path, hands on hips.

"Thanks but no thanks, Molly. I have a lot of marking that needs doing before the next full moon and Hogwarts will certainly need cleaning up." Lupin gently pushed past her and followed Dumbledore out of the room and the two of them left the house.

"When will these people learn not to over-tax themselves?" Hermione sighed as several more of the Order followed Lupin and Dumbledore's example and left on various errands and personal jobs.

"It's their job to work against you-know-who nonstop, Hermione," said Ron, "and if they choose to have extra jobs on top of that then it's their choice."

"But they _never_ seem to take time out."

"I have to agree with her on this one, Ron," said Harry, putting a hand on Ron's shoulder, "they're all exhausted and some of them have even gone beyond that!"

"You three should be resting too, you know," Mrs. Weasley said, ushering Mundungus out of the room and up the stairs before returning to plump up the cushions of the chair he'd been lounging in.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione obeyed immediately, following Ginny upstairs to the room they shared. Harry and Ron sighed, knowing that an argument would do no good, and trudged reluctantly up the stairs to bed.

The next morning, the two boys awoke to a piercing shriek.

"What is it, Mum?!" Ron gasped as he sprinted into the kitchen.

"Ronald Weasley!" she screeched, "I have found your missing school jumper…IN THE OVEN!"

"I didn't put it there," Ron protested weakly.

"Then who ----? FRED! GEORGE!" bellowed a now red faced Mrs. Weasley. The twins strolled casually into the room regarding their mother with curiosity as if nothing was wrong.

"What's happened, Mum?" asked George.

"How did Ron's jumper get in the oven?"

"Oh, that's not Ron's jumper – it's my old one," laughed Fred, "and it's in the oven because we're trying to develop a way to set clothes on fire without actually damaging them – you know, for getting your enemies into trouble. You can say they----"

"Well, it's clearly been a great success, don't you think?" Mrs. Weasley cut in icily, struggling to keep her voice at a reasonable level. Huffing, she bustled off, carrying the rock solid jumper and dropping it in the bin as she went – not a successful move as George just fished it out again as soon as she'd gone.

"We need it for research," Fred explained, seeing Harry and Ron looking puzzled, "so we can identify what went wrong and correct it."

The holidays were drawing to a close and Harry was now looking forward to going back to Hogwarts. They were due to go back on January the 5th which was a Tuesday. It was currently January the 3rd. New Year's day had been and gone and hadn't been anything special as none of the Order had shown up – they were all on patrol to keep the peace at hotspots for New Year's Eve in case Voldemort attacked. They were all due to meet on the 4th and Harry was ready to say his goodbyes to those he wouldn't be seeing at Hogwarts.

"Bye, Harry," Tonks called as Harry boarded the train for Hogwarts with the other students on Monday evening.

"Bye Tonks – see you in the summer, if I don't see you before," he winked back. The entire Order had shown up to bid them farewell as they left – they were on their way back to Hogwarts at last.

Dinner that night was a jolly affair and the whole school seemed in high spirits as they sat down to a feast in the Great Hall. All the teachers were sat at the staff table and it was one of those rare times when Harry felt that no-one was missing.

"So, do you think we'll be able to throw off Voldemort and win this war?" Ron asked.

"Ron, I don't really want to talk about Voldemort on one of the rare nights where we're not being attacked or feeling generally unsafe." Harry said darkly.

"Sorry, mate – I was just curious, that's all."

"I know, but just think of how many times we'll be attacked in the near and far off future and think about how many times we're going to have where we feel safe and high-spirited. Not many, I'll bet. Stuff about Voldemort should only be said in Order meetings,"

"Which we shouldn't be mentioning out loud," hissed Hermione harshly in Harry's ear.

"Sorry, Hermione," apologised Ron.

"That's perfectly alright, Ron."

"Guys, Dumbledore's waiting to speak!"

"What a jolly affair this has been," Dumbledore said as he smiled at the school, eyes twinkling, "and I hope there will be many more times like it. Follow your Head of House back to the dormitories and get some rest. School starts tomorrow and we want everyone enthusiastic and ready to work," he sat down again and each house followed their corresponding teacher back to the dormitories.

When Harry got into bed that night, something felt wrong. There was something about to happen that he knew would not be able to control; something involving him.

"Ron," he whispered, wanting to talk to his friend, but all he got in reply was a sleepy grunt as Ron rolled over and pulled his pillow over his ears. Sighing, Harry rolled over and allowed his eyes to close. He would mention it to one of the teachers in the Order in the morning. But never was there to be a night so long ever again in Harry's lifetime.

**A/N: -** There ya go! Hope you liked it – and I'll look forward to reading your reviews wink, wink, nudge, nudge!


	13. Dream Invasions

**A/N: -** Here you go – enjoy!

****

****

**Chapter 13 – Dream Invasions.******

****

_"Where am I?" Harry looked round, worried._

_"Harry? What, in Merlin's name, are you doing in my dreams?"_

_"Hermione!"__ Harry gasped. Suddenly he saw a snake slithering towards Hermione – it lunged at her and she just disappeared._

_"Not Hermione anymore," said a low hissing voice, chilling him from the very depths of his being. There was a flash of almost blinding light and Voldemort was stood where Hermione had been only seconds before._

_"I don't understand…"_

_"You don't need to," Voldemort laughed, "but understand this – you won't have anyone left to turn to once I'm finished with all of them!" he snapped his fingers and disappeared._

_"NO!" Harry screamed. He shut his eyes and focused hard and suddenly knew where he should be going next. He felt a familiar sensation and found himself jerking forward in a vortex of colour._

__

_ After landing with a loud 'thud', Harry got up and looked round. He was outside Hagrid's hut._

_"'Arry, run!" a voice called from inside. He burst in but found only Voldemort stood there._

_"My, my, he put up quite a fight," Voldemort sniggered._

_"What did you do to him and Hermione?" asked the enraged Harry._

_"Stopped them before they became dangerous…the little witch woke up before I could take her. But I shall not attempt to catch her this time – I have more important problems to deal with." He laughed as he disappeared. Harry focused on Voldemort once more and thought about who he'd want to eliminate next. A tugging feeling in the pit of his stomach told him to go to the burrow. Of course – the Weasleys! If Voldemort destroyed one of them then the whole family would be destroyed from the inside out._

__

_ "I know you're here!" Harry yelled as he stepped into the house._

_"Fool," a voice cackled, but it was not Voldemort._

_"Pettigrew!"__ Harry was gob-smacked, "where's Voldemort?"_

_"My master is dealing with several problems that need to be taken care of…I am merely here to give you a choice," he gazed out of the window at the waxing moon which would be full in a few days time, "but I'm afraid I must leave you – for I have certain problems of my own to deal with…"_

_"Lupin," Harry whispered, despairing._

_"Where to go?__ Where to go, young Harry? Follow me or my master – either way someone is eliminated from the equation…" Pettigrew smirked, disappearing with a loud crack. Whatever Harry did, he had to act fast. After a few painful moments, he decided reluctantly to go after Voldemort – Lupin could handle Pettigrew now he knew about the silver hand. Harry focused on Voldemort and found himself moving once more…_

__

_ He found himself in McGonagall's office and, pulling out his wand, he scanned the room._

_"You're too late, Potter," said a silky voice behind him._

_"Sna --- Professor Snape?!"__ Harry whirled round, confused._

_"Ronald Weasley was running round the school like a headless Niffler trying to find help because you were apparently having a fit of some sort."_

_"What's going on?"_

_"Voldemort is attacking those who pose the biggest threat to him. So far he has taken Minerva but no others."_

_"He took Hagrid but Hermione woke up before he could take her," Harry's voice cracked as he said it._

_"Then it is more serious than I imagined. How do you know where he is?"_

_"I just get this weird feeling…wait a minute, how did you know Voldemort was in here?"_

_"I found Minerva after levitating you to the hospital wing. I was going to ask her assistance in calling a meeting of the Order but I found her having the same style of fit as you had been having. I entered her head through Occlumency and Voldemort was there – draining her spirit away and capturing it. He will torture and kill those he takes. I will explain later but I do not know all the details. For now, I trust you can decide the next location." Snape looked at him expectantly. Harry shut his eyes tightly and opened them with a start._

_"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!"_

_"What?"_

_"Fred or George!"__ Harry exclaimed. He and Snape felt themselves being transported there and started to wonder which Weasley twin was the unfortunate victim._

__

_ They found Voldemort in a heated duel with Fred Weasley._

_"Harry! I was so tired at the end of the day – I must've dozed off and not realised!" Fred yelled, voice showing a significant amount of panic, "And I couldn't wake up and he was here!"_

_"Fred, you have to wake up!"_

_"I can't – what if----" Fred was cut off and Voldemort threw himself at the Weasley boy. Fred screamed in shock and was gone._

_"Stupid boy – easiest to capture so far," Voldemort trailed off and fell into a momentary daze, "my servant calls for aid…good luck finding me this time, Potter – because again you will arrive too late!" Voldemort was gone as soon as the words had left his mouth._

_"Lupin!__ The Defence Against the Dark Arts Office!"_

_"How---?"___

_"I met Pettigrew when I was misled to the Burrow and he said he had a problem of his own to deal with," Harry shut his eyes and was gone. Snape cursed and followed Harry's example and both were soon spinning through the vortex once more._

__

_"Harry! What a pleasant surprise!" Lupin's breathless voice called as Harry and Snape landed outside the open door of Lupin's office._

_"How'd he know I was here?"_

_"Marauders Map, most probably," a new, slightly hoarse voice answered._

_"Headmaster!"__ Harry grinned. Snape nodded to Dumbledore and both men burst into the office, wands drawn. Harry followed and noted the look of fury on Voldemort's face. He was infuriated at the swiftness of their arrival, growling menacingly as he threw himself at Dumbledore, who blocked him with ease. Lupin was fighting Pettigrew with no great difficulty._

_"Losing your touch, Peter?" Lupin teased, a lop-sided grin playing across his features._

_"I'll kill you, Remus, if it's the last thing I do!"_

_"Ha!" Lupin gave a short, bark-like laugh, "your hand isn't posing any problems at the moment and you're no match for me magically!"_

_"He's not – but I am!" Voldemort hissed, "I'm not even going to waste my time capturing you…" he lunged for Lupin, aiming for the shocked werewolf's throat._

_"Master – we cannot kill anyone, not yet!" Pettigrew squeaked as he watched Lupin dodge Voldemort and saw his master get ready to lunge at his ex-friend once more, "we have to wait for the right moment." Pettigrew jumped up and down nervously and Voldemort glanced round at his perplexed servant, keeping his wand aimed at Lupin's chest. Suddenly it all made sense: Pettigrew wanted the 'honour' of killing the last of his old school friends._

_"Very well," Voldemort sighed, launching himself at Lupin again but only to capture this time. But Lupin was ready – he conjured a shield and Voldemort, being totally unprepared for it, came to a halt mere inches before he would've hit the shield._

_"Severus," Dumbledore hissed in the Potions Master's ear while Lupin was still acting as Voldemort's current distraction, "you are here through Occlumency and you can free yourself easiest from this nightmare. Sound the alarm and wake all the students. Then go to the hospital wing and wake Harry. Then wake Remus – I shall get out myself as I too am here through Occlumency."_

_"But can't Lupin and Potter wake by the alarm?"_

_"Not possible. To do that they would need a few moments solid concentration to focus on waking," Dumbledore glanced at Lupin, "and I do not think that solid concentration is an option. I don't care how you wake them as long as they are woken in time."_

_"Very well," Snape nodded and disappeared, drawing Voldemort's attention over to where Harry and Dumbledore were stood. Harry felt his stomach turn: his and Lupin's lives were in the hands of Professor Severus Snape, which were very greasy and slippery indeed!_

_"Where's Severus gone?" Lupin called as he was once more attacked by Pettigrew, who was sweating buckets and had a black eye and a nasty gash on his right arm. Lupin himself was sporting a large bruise on his left cheek where Pettigrew's hand had caught him a little. Suddenly, Harry disappeared, "Harry!" Lupin yelled, fearing the worst._

_"No…" Voldemort whispered, releasing a string of curses in quick succession._

_"Calm yourself, Remus – Harry has escaped."_

Harry heard Lupin shout his name but he couldn't answer. He was whirling around and came grinding to a halt, swiftly being plunged into blackness. A familiar pain shot through his head. Voldemort was feeling a very strong emotion – in this case, anger. He cried out and sat up, opening his eyes.

"Calm down, Mr. Potter, you are quite alright," Madame Pomfrey smiled warmly at him.

"Dumbledore, Lupin, McGonagall, Hagrid, Hermione, Fred – are they all alright?" Harry looked round worriedly.

"Remus and I are safe," Dumbledore entered, followed closely by Snape and Lupin, who were shooting filthy looks at each other, "and Miss. Granger is perfectly alright and is with Ronald Weasley. They will be along later. But the others are not so fortunate. By harnessing their spirits, Voldemort can torture them and kill them. Any wounds he inflicts on their spirits will appear on the bodies. This is both a blessing and a curse."

"How can it be a blessing?"

"Because if he had the bodies as well then we would not be able to heal the wounds he inflicts. And now we also have a lead on how to find him. We can use Occlumency to track their spirits. But we must tread carefully now in whatever we do," Dumbledore sighed and Harry could only watch as the bodies of Hagrid, McGonagall and Fred Weasley were levitated through the door, "Severus found young Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore, seeing Harry's puzzled face. The bodies were laid on some beds at the end of the ward and that area was sectioned off.

"Headmaster, we must put up new wards around the castle. If any more-----"

"Remus has seen to it, Poppy. No wizard of evil purpose shall enter their spells and charms in here and no more souls will be taken. All are safe for as long as they remain inside the school grounds. Now, I have more important business to attend to – namely, getting the students back to bed. I believe, in light of tonight's events, that the students should get tomorrow off and school shall start on Wednesday."

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"Eleven-thirty at night," Dumbledore replied, "Remus, I need you to come with me. Severus, you need to set about your business…"

"Ah, will this madness never end," Pomfrey sighed as Dumbledore, Lupin and Snape left the hospital wing in silence.

"I don't get it…"

"No-one does, Potter. Even Dumbledore does not understand all that goes on in this world at the present time," Pomfrey sighed again and retreated to her office at the end of the ward.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked her retreating back.

"Yes?"

"When can I leave the hospital wing?"

"Tomorrow morning at the earliest…as long as you promise not to go snooping around the place or Dumbledore will be after my blood."

"I promise; it had never even crossed my mind!" Harry grinned cheekily as he led down and shut his eyes, feeling happy that he could get a little peaceful sleep, although for the most part it was plagued with nightmares.

"Harry, mate, you're ok! I was so worried!" Ron slapped his friend on the back cheerfully.

"Hi, Ron,"

"Have you seen Hermione anywhere? I can't find her and I want to see how gutted she is that there's no lessons today."

"That would be something worth seeing!" Harry laughed, "But I'm afraid I haven't seen her anywhere."

The next few days were harsh and the teachers were giving seemingly endless amounts of homework with students fighting increasingly harder to keep up with it. The purpose for this was to try and keep everyone's minds away from Voldemort, although the Order, unknown to everyone except Harry, Hermione and the Weasley children, were still trying to track him down to free the lost spirits. However, these attempts were in vain and the Order seemed to doubt the possibility of rescuing their fellow members more and more each day.

By Friday the school was exhausted, teachers and pupils alike. The students had very little enthusiasm for their work while the staff had very little enthusiasm for teaching it. The only teacher that remained relentless in his giving of work was Snape…which didn't really come as a surprise to anyone. But it still seemed highly unfair that Snape was giving them double the usual amount of homework to make up for the lack of it in other lessons.

"Potter!" he hissed in double potions that afternoon, "I get the feeling that you are not paying the slightest bit of attention to anything I'm saying."

"Sorry, sir,"

"What were you thinking about that was so distracting?"

"Voldemort," Harry answered simply, for once basking in the gasps that echoed round the room at the sound of the Dark Lord's name.

"Mr. Potter, please see me after the lesson." Snape said, having gone ever so slightly paler than usual, however impossible that may seem!

"Yes, Professor Snape," sighed Harry wearily. The class continued to discuss the inner healing qualities of various potions and also how healing potions could be reversed by using a few simple ingredients so that they could kill if the need arose.

After the lesson, Harry remained behind, having told Ron and Hermione to go on ahead and meet him in the Common Room so that they could walk down to dinner together. But Harry still had to survive his little talk with Snape first.

"Potter, I am perfectly aware that you do not see any need to fear the use of Voldemort's name but there are other students who do not feel so comfortable with it."

"I know…but those people are just going to have to face up to it because they are going to be hearing his name a lot in these next few years."

"You are forbidden from mentioning it in my classes from now on, Potter. Disobeying will result in instant detention down here in the dungeons."

"Professor Lupin lets me say it in his classes," Harry smirked, knowing that commenting on Lupin would really get to Snape.

"Lupin is a fool,"

"He's a better teacher than you."

"Get out of my sight, Potter!" Snape bellowed, eyes glittering dangerously. Harry grinned rather slyly and left the dungeon in silence, leaving a fuming Snape staring after him.

"You're alive! Harry, mate, you're actually alive!" Ron cheered as Harry arrived triumphantly in the Common Room.

"Harry, what happened?" inquired Hermione.

"Snape was just angry because I said Voldemort's name in his lessons. He just doesn't want the Slytherins to get scared. And he doesn't want to hear his ex-master's name. So I told him that people would just have to get used to it."

"Harry, saying that was dangerous – did he give you a detention?"

"No, actually," Harry said, still sounding surprised himself.

"Weird," Ron commented, shivering slightly.

"Yeah," agreed Harry, "No doubt he'll find some way to get back at me though. Especially since I told him, to his face, that Lupin let me say Voldemort's name in his classes and also that Lupin was a way better teacher than him!"

"Harry, have you gone nuts?!" Ron's head snapped up.

"What? It's true!"

"Everyone knows that, Harry," Hermione frowned, "But you know as well as everyone else that Snape will look for any excuse to get Lupin into trouble or make it so he doesn't have to make the Wolfsbane potion for him. Don't you see? He'll twist what you said and Lupin will take the flack for it. Oh, Harry, you have to think _before _you speak!"

"When's the next full moon?"

"Tomorrow night," Hermione replied softly.

"Don't worry, mate. Lupin has Dumbledore firmly on his side, remember? Snape has to make the potion," Ron reassured Harry, "he doesn't want to have to face Dumbledore with his pathetic excuses if he doesn't!"

At dinner, the trio could hardly keep their eyes off Snape and Lupin. The two men were repeatedly glaring at each other and Harry guessed that Hermione and Ron had been right.

"I think there was another argument over the potion…" Ron said, stating the obvious.

"And my suspicion is that Dumbledore intervened and Lupin won again," smiled Harry, suppressing laughter with great difficulty.

"Of course he won it, Harry – don't be stupid," Hermione looked down her nose at him in exasperation, "you don't seriously think they'd let Lupin be in his werewolf form without his human wits about him, do you? Especially when Voldemort could attack at any moment."

"That's what happened when the other werewolves were here."

"But they're not here any more and this time there's more risks. Listen, before Voldemort tried to capture me last night he made the mistake of talking about his plans. He said I would be the first of many and that he would capture people when they were most vulnerable," Hermione sighed.

"I hate Voldemort," snarled Harry.

"King of the obvious," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Hey, look at that," Ron interrupted. Harry and Hermione turned their attentions up to the staff table where Snape was now leaving his seat. The potions master left the Great Hall and Dumbledore followed with Lupin leaving the staff table shortly afterwards, leaving the other teachers to dismiss the students.

"What do you suppose was wrong with the teachers earlier?" Hermione asked for the fifth time that night.

"I don't know? But the teachers that left were all in the Order." Was the answer she received, also for the fifth time that night. Ron was sipping nervously at a Butterbeer and attempting the near impossible Potions homework they had been set. Harry, however, just sat and stared into the fire. Whatever the teachers' reasons for leaving dinner, Harry suspected that it was something to do with the Order and the captured spirits.

**A/N: -** Hope that was a good enough chapter for everyone!


	14. Losses and Returns

**Disclaimer: -** I think it's about time I printed another one of these to keep myself in check! I do NOT, regretfully, own ANY of the characters or scenes…however – the character that is to appear in chapter 16 will be my own creation and her mannerisms I can claim full credit for…but everything else is J.K. Rowling's…

****

**A/N: -** Here is the next chapter – what has been typed up is starting to come dangerously close to catching up with what's written on paper! Argh, the stress of it all! I hope you like this chapter, although I must confess that I didn't finish the Dream Invasion scenario the way I originally wanted to – but we can't have everything!

****

****

**Chapter 14 – Losses and Returns**

****

****

"Harry! Harry, guess what I saw!" Hermione came running up to Harry and Ron as she'd just finished Medicines Club.

"What?" both boys said at once.

"The captured spirits have been rescued! Hagrid, McGonagall and Fred were all in the hospital wing and recovering when I was down there!"

"That's great news, Hermione! How were they rescued?" Harry beamed at the news.

"I'm not sure, but I bet the teachers that left dinner early yesterday had something to do with it."

"Most probably – are you coming to the Defence club?"

"No, I think I'll give it a miss this time, if you don't mind. I have a lot of homework to do." Replied Hermione briskly, walking off in the direction of the common room. Harry and Ron shrugged and continued on their way to the club. But upon reaching the door of the classroom, they discovered that no-one was there, not even Lupin.

"Hmm, I wonder why it's not on…"

"Maybe something's happened in the Order and Lupin's had to cancel," suggested Ron brightly.

"But where's everyone else – the other students----"

"We're late anyway, so they probably already got here and left or tore off the notices that said it was cancelled just to be funny."

"Let's go back and find Hermione and we can use my invisibility cloak to sneak into Dumbledore's office and see if there's a meeting there," Harry said, running back in the direction of the Gryffindor tower, closely followed by Ron.

"You're sure no-one was there?"

"Yes, Hermione, we're sure – nobody was there!"

"Did you check Lupin's office? You're forgetting that the full moon is tonight – did you even _think_ that maybe that's why the club was cancelled?"

"No, but----"

"Bo 'buts' Harry; you have to stop snooping around or they'll never tell you anything when you actually ask. Needless to say, you'll also be slowing down their meetings when they could be close to finding a solution to Voldemort's attacks," Hermione looked thoroughly exasperated.

"Well, if you don't want to help us then that's your problem but we're going to find out what's going on!" Harry snorted, smirking as Hermione stormed off.

"They're all in here," Ron whispered. They had searched the entire school and had finally found some of the Order members in Hagrid's hut. They hid outside and listened.

"It's too dangerous," McGonagall said darkly, "we'd be sending you to your deaths."

"Minerva, we _must_ have spies at the protest."

"But if Voldemort finds out there's a spy---"

"He won't. Arthur, Alastor and I will be keeping an eye on things from a safe distance and when all is over then I'll return here and Alastor and Arthur can wait there. Remus, you know Umbridge is bound to be there, don't you?"

"I know," Lupin's mild voice sighed, "but I'll keep out of her way."

"You will also be the only one there with your human wits still intact – all the others are Voldemort's spies and will probably be under his control…they're aim is to cause a stir and cause the whole of werewolf-kind to be shunned from society completely."

"I know,"

"As soon as you're discovered you must get yourself out and make your way back to the Shrieking Shack right away. We don't want you putting your life in too much danger. You're our only link to this area of Voldemort's recruiting plans."

"Not to mention he's the best teacher we've ever had," Ron whispered to Harry, who nodded vigorously.

"Dumbledore, I get the distinct feeling we are not alone," Lupin said.

"I had noticed; young Mr. Weasley really should learn to be a little more light-footed."

"Really?" Hagrid looked round dumbly, searching for any signs of Harry and Ron.

"Come in, you two," Dumbledore called. Harry and Ron entered the hut and were greeted by several amused glares and also a few irritated ones.

"Harry, you must answer me something and answer it honestly," Lupin had gone rather pale.

"What?"

"How much of what was said just now did you hear?"

"From where Professor McGonagall said 'it's too dangerous'. I have a rough idea of what's going on and I think it's stupid."

"Harry, as unintelligent as it may sound, it is less dangerous for bother Remus, the Order and Hogwarts than it would be if Voldemort's werewolves were loose. We need someone at this protest. And also to protect Fudge, Umbridge and the other Ministry of Magic workers. They are under the impression that they are at a meeting, called by Macnair, to figure out how to disguise the truth from the Muggles for as long as possible."

"I should get going," Lupin stood, "I want to be there early and check out the surroundings."

"Good luck, Remus, and be careful. We do not want to send you to your death so don't take any unnecessary risks," Dumbledore's face was solemn, "Arthur, Alastor and Bill will all be standing by."

"Bill?"

"He insisted on going as well to keep an eye on things."

"Be sure to contact us when it's all over, Remus," McGonagall added.

"'Ave fun, Remus," beamed Hagrid. Snape glowered but decided to be civil just this once.

"Good luck, Lupin – you have the purging potion?"

"Yes, thank-you, Severus, although I'm sure I won't be going anywhere near any silver unless no other choice is available." Lupin smiled warmly at everyone before leaving everyone in a stunned silence.

"I think you two should be enjoying your free period," Dumbledore sighed, breaking the awkward, icy silence that had formed when Lupin had left. He looked meaningfully at Harry and Ron over the top of his half-moon shaped glasses.

"Yeah, I suppose," Harry mumbled as he and Ron left the hut and wandered back up the castle to tell Hermione what was going on.

"WHAT?!" screeched Hermione.

"Hermione, calm down – no-one is supposed to know!" hissed Harry in an urgent whisper.

"They'd better start looking for a new Defence teacher then because Lupin won't be coming back!"

"Hermione, they wouldn't have sent him if they hadn't discussed every possibility and risk and how to handle it."

"I still don't know about this, guys,"

"Neither do we – but there's nothing we can do about it. We just have to wait for news. Meanwhile, we should probably be getting to the Care of Magical Creatures Club." Harry sighed, leaving the Common Room and heading down to Hagrid's hut for the second time in the past half an hour, with Ron and Hermione right behind him.

"S'madness, tha's what it is," Hagrid muttered to himself while inspecting Harry's work. They were mixing special vitamin dishes for the Thestrals and were also learning how to feed them properly.

"Excuse me, Hagrid, but what's madness?" Harry asked nosily, knowing how useless Hagrid was at keeping his mouth shut.

"S'none of yer business, 'Arry. I'm under strict orders to keep quiet abou' this whole scenario."

"Are you angry about what's happening tonight?"

"Wha's happenin' tonight is not to be mentioned to anyone, yeh got that?" Hagrid's tone of voice suddenly became very dark and his eyes held a mixture of fear and fury. Harry decided to stop pushing his luck at that point as Hagrid was clearly not going to say anything else.

That night, Harry and Ron sat in silence in the common room, awaiting the return of Hermione.

"The attack at the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures Committee will have begun by now."

"Uh-huh,"

"What do you think will happen?"

"Dunno,"

"I wonder how long Lupin will last before Voldemort finds out he's a spy and---"

"Ron, I don't want to talk about this, ok?" Harry snapped, but seeing that startled look on his friend's face made him stop abruptly and regret losing his temper immediately, "sorry," he whispered.

"S'ok, you're just worried," Ron shrugged, smiling good-naturedly.

"Can you really and honestly say you're not?"

"No…I'm worried too. What if Voldemort caught Lupin and the back-up team from the Order attempt a rescue? Or what if one of the Order on their own attempted a rescue?"

"I assume when you say 'one of the Order' you mean your Dad or Bill?"

"Yeah," Ron nodded miserably, "you know what Dad's like."

"Dumbledore and Moody will be with him, Ron – don't worry."

"Ok, thanks mate."

"No problem," Harry said, laughing inwardly at how he and Ron had so quickly swapped roles halfway through their conversation.

"Harry? Ron?" Hermione staggered back through the portrait hole, books piled high in her arms.

"What are all those?!" Ron asked, gob smacked, causing Harry to thank the stars that he'd been distracted from thinking about what could be happening at the attack.

"Books," Hermione answered simply.

"What are they about?"

"I got one for our Potions homework, one for the DA – and three for my medicines club."

"That only makes five – there are six there…" Harry's gaze was fixed on the sixth book.

"It's a record of all protests and attacks at the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures committee right up until last year." Hermione explained, handing the black and silver book to Harry, who fingered through it in shock.

"It lists all the casualties and deaths…" Harry's voice trailed off.

"Yes, it does. I though you should see how much deaths and casualty numbers have steadily decreased over the years. Compared to fifty years ago, the figures of today are nothing…I just thought it might cheer you up or comfort you or something."

"Thanks, Hermione, but you're forgetting that this is Voldemort attacking. No-one who's against him stands much chance of emerging unscathed…even alive…the whole point of this attack is to kill…"

"Not possible – how did he get past the borders? We have them guarded! Are you sure?"

"I would know him anywhere, Master, even in this form."

"Kill him, Worm – he is _not_ to leave here alive or someone will pay," Voldemort smiled maliciously.

"Yes, Master,"

"Professor McGonagall?" asked Harry at Battle Club the following day.

"Yes, Potter?"

"Any word from---?"

"Not a word," McGonagall cut in before he could finish, "but I assure you that we would know if anyone had died…"

"How?"

"We have out methods. Now, get on with dueling Miss. Granger as she is looking positively fed-up."

"Yes, Professor," sighed Harry, returning reluctantly to his duel with a rather impatient looking Hermione.

"Professor McGonagall, can I have a word?" Dumbledore said, having strolled casually into the room. Harry's head snapped up instantly on hearing his Headmaster's voice and he stared at the two teachers as they spoke quietly in a corner, seeming to keep their faces worryingly expressionless. Hermione noted Harry's distracted behaviour and walked off in a huff, taking on the role of teacher and telling everybody what they should be doing and exactly how to do it.

"Mr. Weasley, come here," McGonagall called sharply. Ron hurried over. He was told something by Dumbledore and led out of the room. McGonagall motioned for Harry and Hermione to follow.

"What's going on?" Harry asked as soon as they reached Dumbledore's office.

"The protest finished at five o'clock this morning when most of the werewolves were back in their human forms. They were whisked off by Voldemort not long afterwards. Arthur is searching the site for Remus... he refused to wait for Remus to find us."

"And?"

"They haven't contacted us yet…"

"You don't think they've been killed, do you?"

"We don't know, Ronald, but Alastor and Hagrid are now looking for them along with Bill Weasley. We will have news soon." Dumbledore smiled reassuringly at the three students before him, who were all looking very anxious with hate for Voldemort showing plainly on their faces.

"Can we see them as soon as they get back?" Ron asked hopefully.

"You and Harry will have to miss the Quidditch Match against Slytherin."

"I think this is a valid reason to miss it," Harry smiled grimly, thinking about what might have happened to Mr. Weasley and Professor Lupin.

"Harry?" Hermione's eyes were red-rimmed as she found Harry in the Quidditch Changing Rooms, getting ready for a match.

"Hey Hermione, you seen Ron anywhere?"

"Harry…we've got news from the Order…" Hermione's voice shook.

"What?! Is everyone ok?" Harry jumped up eagerly.

"No, Harry, they're not,"

"Ok, let me rephrase that; is everyone alive?"

"That depends on what your definition of 'alive' is, but I'd say not exactly."

"What do you mean by 'not exactly'?"

"Voldemort had hidden Dementors in the forest so that people attempting to hide or escape from his werewolves and Death Eaters would be caught."

"No…someone's had the Dementor's kiss," it was more a statement than a question, "someone from the Order?"

"Ron's up in Dumbledore's office – I think it's best if he tells you, so you get the whole story. Ron already knows and has gone to see his Dad."

"What's wrong with Mr. Weasley?" Harry felt his stomach turn.

"All will be explained, Harry," Hermione wiped her nose on a handkerchief and Harry made his way to Dumbledore's office with her, pressing Hermione for more information, but getting none.

"Ah, Harry, do come in – Miss. Granger, I think it would be best if you left and went with young Mr. Weasley to Headquarters."

"No, I want her to stay," Harry's voice was soft and reflective, with a kind of sadness.

"Very well – you may want to sit down, Harry, as this may come as quite a shock," Dumbledore sighed, looking totally at a loss of what to do, "ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Harry replied.

"Bill Weasley was with Professor Lupin and Arthur Weasley in the forest protecting them from the Dementors, but – and there is no easy way to say this – he received the Dementor's Kiss."

"Ron…" Harry's mind leapt to his friends.

"Arthur Weasley is at Grimmauld Place with the others along with the others. Alastor Moody and Hagrid have emerged, for the most part, unscathed. Professor Lupin is suffering from shock and also took a lot of bashing from the other werewolves once they found out who he was."

"But how's Ron?"

"The entire Weasley family and the Order is at Grimmauld Place. Do you wish to join them, along with Miss. Granger?"

"Yes," Harry replied, leaping to his feet once more, not caring in the slightest that he was about to miss Gryffindor's Quidditch match against Slytherin. Quidditch Matches could be postponed; time and lives couldn't.

The mood at Grimmauld Place was depressed - there was no other word to describe it. When Harry, Hermione and Dumbledore arrived they didn't earn so much as even a mere glance. The Weasley's were all sat together and sobbing quietly. The Order were all sat still, heads in hands and tears rolling down their faces. Only Tonks offered a small greeting smile as they walked in. But the next arrival caused a great deal more surprise and shock.

"Percy!" Ginny exclaimed tearfully.

"Dumbledore told me how to find you and what happened. I've been such an idiot. Please forgive me – I don't want anyone else to die before I am able to make my peace with you."

"Forgive and forget," Mrs. Weasley said quietly, embracing her son. Mr. Weasley scowled and remained silent, not really in the mood to talk to his son.

"Please, Father, I want to help you," Percy pleaded, "you and my brothers."

"Um, if it's ok then I think I need to turn in for the night," Lupin said softly, looking as if he would pass out at any second."

"No problem, Remus," Arthur Weasley finally spoke up, managing a small smile in Lupin's direction.

"It's inconsiderate," Percy mumbled. Lupin left the room, pretending not to have heard Percy but looking decidedly uncomfortable nevertheless. Several people glowered at Percy who simply turned up his nose pompously.

"Percy, I want you to leave – I am not ready to talk rationally at the present time. I will contact you when I am ready," Mr. Weasley's voice was cold and hard. Percy sniffed in a rather arrogant fashion and stormed out of the house. Mrs. Weasley burst into floods of tears and ran out the room and up the stairs, continuing to cry hysterically. Both Ron and Ginny ran after her and Harry, out of pure instinct, followed.

He decided halfway up that he would not follow the Weasleys upstairs after all as they needed time alone. So Harry instead decided to seek out Lupin as he hadn't looked too good when he'd left the scene of depression downstairs.

"Professor Lupin?" Harry whispered, peering into the room in which he knew Lupin to be staying. There was no response. Harry edged further into the room, holding his breath. It was almost pitch black: he turned the light on…

**A/N: -** So many questions, so little time…is Lupin there or is he not or is he alive or is he dead? I will warn you now that Bill Weasley is the first of many that will perish in this battle…and I can tell you that the next death will be in chapter……….hmmm, maybe I won't say after all! And while I remember, thank-you again to ClearGreenWater, who continues to faithfully review my humble story! Right, that's it until next time!


	15. Arrogance and Aurors

**A/N: -** Here is the next chapter for you guys – sorry for the long updates – my typing and publishing is catching up with the amount I've typed so I need to spread it out a bit more. Thanks for reading and please review at the end.

****

****

**Chapter 15 – Arrogance and Aurors**

****

"Harry?" Lupin's mild voice broke Harry's panicked chain of thought.

"I thought you'd disappeared!" Harry tried weakly, feeling immense relief at seeing his Professor. For one terrible moment, he'd thought that maybe the one remaining link to his parents and Sirius' childhoods was gone.

"Well I haven't disappeared, so there's no need to worry. Although I don't particularly relish being called inconsiderate by the likes of Percy Weasley, who doesn't even know what's happened."

"Percy's just an ignorant git," Harry stated bluntly.

"I have to agree with that," laughed Lupin, stopping short with a wince.

"Professor, are you alright?" Harry asked, spotting Lupin's discomfort.

"I'm fine, Harry, I just don't think the shock has quite worn off yet."

"Then why has one of your hands got blood on it?"

"Harry, stop worrying and go and find Ron. He'll need you now more than ever." Lupin said, evading the subject of the protest. Sighing, Harry rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. Hearing a sudden thump downstairs, Harry ran down, taking two steps at a time. He reached the bottom and found mad-Eye Moody sprawled out on the floor. Lupin was also now running down the stairs and he knelt beside Moody to check the ex-Auror's pulse.

"Is he ok?" Harry asked.

"Get help, Harry – now!" Lupin said sharply. Harry nodded and ran to find somebody to help, returning with everyone moments later. Mr. Weasley helped Lupin put Moody in the recovery position and Moody stirred, opening his eyes blearily and sitting up.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Someone poisoned your hip flask," replied Lupin quietly, sniffing the contents of Moody's flask.

"But how? It never leaves my side?"

"Then it must have been at the protest – probably one of those bluddy werewolves. I mean, do those things not know hen to quit --- oops, sorry, Remus." Tonks went a deep shade of crimson in the face.

"Don't worry, Tonks – I'm used to it," answered Lupin mildly, still inspecting Moody's flask, "It looks like you'll have to put a tougher security charm on that in future," he suggested, tossing the flask back to its owner.

"I most certainly will be doing that, Remus, I assure you," Moody's magical eye remained firmly fixed on Lupin even as he stood up. All others left and Harry was halfway back up the stairs when he stopped to listen to the conversation the two men were now having.

"I know what you're going to say, Mad-Eye, but going to St. Mungo's is not an option under the circumstances."

"Then go to Pomfrey. I don't care what approach you take, Lupin, but get it treated. The last thing the Order needs is to lose you too. It would push everyone over the edge, especially young Mr. Potter," Moody's magical eye seemed to swivel up to where Harry was and he could feel it looking at him. Bolting up the stairs, he rushed into the room he shared with Ron. Ron was led face down on the pillow and seemed to be crying softly. Harry just stood dumbly for what seemed like an eternity and then walked over to stand beside his friend's bed, putting a hand lightly on Ron's shoulder. Ron didn't respond to the touch and Harry, sighing, went to sit down on his own bed. He thought about everything that had happened, _what would Sirius do?_ Was his only thought, for his head felt like a deflated balloon and he felt not only useless but pathetic as well.

"So, how is everyone?" asked Tonks, making another vain attempt to start a conversation, being the fifth attempt that morning. None of the Weasleys were eating and Moody was being paranoid and casting all sorts of spells to check for poison on every mouthful of food before he ate it. Lupin was poking his breakfast around on his plate, his eyes flicking towards Moody every so often.

"Um…I have to and take care of some unfinished business," Lupin said, glancing at Moody for the millionth time. Moody finally looked satisfied and nodded in Lupin's direction.

"Go right away, Lupin, and do not come back until everything is in order!" Moody's face softened and he almost seemed to smirk, "in fact, I think I shall come with you," he rose and clunked over to Lupin, who bit his lip but didn't protest. The two men left the room and Harry felt his hear sink. With Lupin and Moody gone, there was no-one left apart from Tonks who still seemed to have the capacity to speak.

"May I be excused?" Ron asked suddenly, not even waiting for an answer before leaving the table and going upstairs.

"This is ridiculous!" Mrs. Weasley sniffed, "we should be trying to find out why Bill was sucked soulless – and we haven't visited him yet."

"You're right, Molly," Mr. Weasley sighed, "who wants to visit Bill?"

Everyone's hands went up.

"Harry, dear, would you fetch Ron, please?" Mrs. Weasley asked, still sniffing.

"Of course," Harry smiled gently.

"Ron? Ron, we're going to visit Bill," whispered Harry as he and Hermione shook their friend awake.

"What? Really?"

"Yeah – you coming?"

"What do you think?!" snapped Ron sarcastically.

"Sorry, I didn't----"

"Think?" Ron finished for Harry, "That's obvious, Harry, because you never do think! You always rush headlong into things without thinking about the consequences," Ron's face was now as red as his hair, "and yet you still manage to emerge unscathed each time. But Bill had planned his each and every move, he was sop careful – and did he come out unharmed? No! And now he's worse than dead!"

"Ron, calm down!" Hermione yelled about Ron's angry cries.

"Hermione, leave him – you think I always come out unharmed?" Harry snarled, "Think again! Have you ever even thought about how it feels to have the guilt of other people's deaths constantly pushing down on you? It was my fault my parents dies, my fault Cedric Diggory died, my fault Sirius is dead – don't you understand? I have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life!"

"Guess what, Harry – I DON'T CARE!" Ron screeched, "YOU ALWAYS PULL THIS GUILT TRICK TO GET SYMPATHY AND ATTENTION AND I'M SICK OF IT!" he turned on his heels and stormed out of the room.

"Boys, please stop this nonsense! Don't you think we have enough problems to worry about as it is? Have some consideration!" Mr. Weasley uncharacteristically snapped at Ron and Harry who had been glaring at each other in silence all the way to St. Mungo's.

"It's Harry's problem, not mine," scowled Ron.

"Ronald Weasley, please be quiet!" sniffed Mrs. Weasley, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Don't cry, mum," Ron muttered, looking both guilty and embarrassed. Harry felt disgusted and turned away from Ron to stare out of the window.

They reached St. Mungo's and were up on the fourth floor outside Bill Weasley's room before any of them even realised that Mad-Eye moody had rejoined to group.

"Where's Remus?" asked Mr. Weasley softly, panic slowly setting over his features.

"I'll explain later," sighed moody, motioning to him that the rest of his family were going into the room. Harry and Hermione held back a little but were pulled into the room within seconds by Mrs. Weasley. It was a private room already laden with flowers and cards. Harry looked towards the bed where bill Weasley was led flat on his back, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

"Oh, Bill…" gasped Mrs. Weasley as she knelt by Bill's prone form, holding her son's hands as tightly as she could as if she'd never let go. It reminded Harry of the Boggart that Mrs. Weasley had encountered at Grimmauld Place during his fifth year.

"There is some hope…" a pasty looking doctor spoke quietly as he entered, "what with you-know-who controlling the Dementors and not the Ministry then we have no reservations in destroying the Dementors and there is a small chance that we'll be able to save some of the souls."

"Really?"

"Don't get your hopes up – it's only a small chance."

The visit for most people was short and Harry, Hermione and anyone who wasn't a Weasley left the room after half an hour and headed up to the café on the fifth floor.

"So," said Tonks brightly, "where's Remus? You have some explaining to do, Mad-Eye."

"Lupin is currently back at HQ," Moody whispered cautiously, not wanting anyone to overhear, "he was in a worse condition than he was willing to admit in the face of the loss of Bill Weasley. Pomfrey gave him some painkillers and Dreamless Sleep potion and I sent him back to HQ, joining you here shortly afterwards."

"What makes you think he'll stay at Headquarters?" asked Tonks, stifling a laugh.

"He will,"

"What's actually wrong with him?" Harry piped up suddenly.

"Keep your voice down, Potter! Lupin just got bashed about rather a lot by Voldemort's werewolves and also witnessed the tragic loss of young Mr. Weasley. He may have had mild silver poisoning mixed with tranquiliser that the Ministry was using to shoot the werewolves down. But it's nothing serious," Moody took a deep breath and then sighed, "I swear Pomfrey's a saint," he said, and nobody disagreed.

"Ready to go?" a small and wavering voice asked. The Weasleys had rejoined the group and it was a distraught Mrs. Weasley that had spoken.

"Yes," was the united reply; all left and journeyed back to Grimmauld Place in utter silence.

Upon entering the Black Family house kitchen, Harry sat down and put his head in his hands. He thought of what had passed between him and Ron earlier that day and felt his enthusiasm for eating ebbing away dramatically with each passing moment.

"Harry? I'm sorry about what I said earlier – I was just stressed."

"I know,"

"I lost my brother to the Dementors and you will never know how awful it feels to know they are still in existence, but that didn't give me the right to say all that stuff."

"I'm sorry too, Ron; I was being selfish, as usual. Friends?"

"Definitely."

"I'll just go and check that Lupin hasn't escaped," growled Moody jokingly, clunking away and up the stairs.

"Ok, Mad-Eye, I'm sure Remus will be thrilled to see you…again," Tonks laughed, waving him off.

"So, I see that everyone's back." A soft voice said from the doorway.

"Headmaster Dumbledore!" squealed Hermione, "What are you doing here?"

"I am merely here to see how everybody is coping."

"As good as can be expected under the circumstances, thank-you, Albus," Mrs. Weasley replied shortly.

"I presume Remus _is_ resting…"

"Alastor's gone to check he hasn't _escaped_," Tonks beamed brightly.

"Excellent – although I'm not sure that Remus will relish yet another lecture from Alastor," Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling and he managed to raise a small chuckle from the down-hearted group, "and Poppy wishes that I go and check on him," he added, leaving the kitchen as swiftly and silently as he had appeared.

"This I have to see," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and watch the entertainment," Ron suggested quietly, a shaky yet mischievous smile playing on his features as they asked to be excused.

"That bluddy werewolf will be the death of me," grumbled Moody as he clunked down the stairs.

"What's happened?" asked Harry, having been on his way up with Ron, looking a bit put out that he had missed all the fun.

"He's not in his room," growled Moody.

"Maybe he's downstairs – escaping from your lectures!" said Harry, whispering the last part so that only Ron could hear.

"When I get my hands on him, I'll--------"

"You'll do what, Alastor?" a mild voice asked from behind Moody.

"Lupin, where were you?!"

"In my room," Lupin grinned tiredly, winking at Harry.

"Saw that," Moody remarked sourly.

"I'm sorry, ok? Now I know how Padfoot felt," Lupin mumbled as he trudged back up the stairs under the intimidating glare of Moody. Waiting until Moody had disappeared downstairs again, Harry and Ron made the decision to continue up. They stopped outside Lupin's room and could hear Dumbledore talking sternly to their Professor.

"Remus, you must take all of these potions."

"I'd rather not,"

"They will halve your recovery time,"

"Sorry, Albus, but I don't want to miss out on the protest meeting tonight – I have enough explaining to do as it is…"

"Did you see Pettigrew at any point?" Dumbledore lowered his voice and Harry and Ron strained to hear what was going on.

"See him? He spent most of his evening chasing me and was in charge of the five werewolves trying to kill me. They wouldn't go anywhere near him because of his silver hand."

"I'm afraid that the werewolves were not the only ones he was instructing – he played a part in Bill Weasley's loss of his soul." Dumbledore sighed. Outside the room, Ron's eyes had almost popped out of his head in shock and he wasn't moving a muscle.

"How? Wait a minute…" Lupin spoke slowly, "do you mean to say that the Dementors were originally sent after me? Is that what you're saying?"

"It seems that after you escaped Lucius Malfoy, MacNair and the werewolves, Pettigrew was too cowardly to face you himself so he sent the Dementors after you, knowing that he would pay the price if you survived the battle."

"So that makes this my fault…"

"That is not the approach to take, Remus – the Dementors were sucking the souls of anyone and everyone who wandered into the forest and did not bear the symbol of the Dark Mark."

"But Bill was in the forest looking for me and Arthur after Arthur came looking for me when I failed to report back. He found me but then couldn't remember the way back…"

"How were you supposed to report back when you were lying half dead and having been shot with a tranquiliser in the middle of a Dementor-ridden forest? Had Alastor not found you all when he did then more than one life would have been lost." Dumbledore's voice was firm and matter-of-fact, "none of this is your fault, Remus. Voldemort is becoming too powerful and can kill without guilt. The meeting is in ten minutes."

Outside the door, Harry dragged a dumbstruck Ron back to their own room before Dumbledore left Lupin's room to return downstairs.

"Sorry I'm late – I broke a vase again," Tonks apologised as she entered the kitchen.

"That's quite alright, Tonks, as not everyone is here yet."

"Are the kids staying?"

"They have a right to hear what happened," Dumbledore said, shooting a meaningful glance at Harry and Ron, who had just taken their seats and were looking quite uncomfortable, "and to here the whole truth and not just one version."

"Will Lupin be joining us?" Snape sneered silkily, his slimy tones sounding as though he wished Lupin would never arrive.

"I'm here, Severus," a weary Lupin had taken his place at the table, "what have I missed?"

"Nothing, Remus," Dumbledore smiled gently.

"So, what really happened at this protest then?" inquired Hermione.

"Why don't you ask Professor Lupin?" remarked Ron icily, "he was in the heart of all the action!"

"Ron---!" Harry kicked his friend under the table.

"No, he's right – It was my fault that Bill got the Dementor's Kiss. They were supposed to be attacking me."

"Enough of this nonsense, Lupin. Stop wallowing in your own self-pity! What would your precious Black say?"

That hit a raw nerve.

"He'd say how greasy, slimy and worthless you are for a start, _Snivellus_!" Harry cut in angrily, catching Lupin's eye, who gave him a grateful smile.

"How dare you talk to me like that – I am your Professor!"

"As am I – and you shouldn't provoke him." Muttered Lupin softly.

"Keep out of this, Lupin – go and bask in self-pity or do something constructive for a change!"

"Something constructive? What was going to the protest? And saving the Minister for Magic's life?"

"Constructive, was it? Fudge is a useless buffoon who would be better dead and I seem to recall that we lost Bill Weasley because he was out looking for you!" hissed Snape, spraying droplets of saliva all over the table. Lupin's eyes widened and he could not think of a quick response. All had gone silent.

"I know that it was my fault, Severus, and I don't need you to drum it into me. What's done is done and now I can't change it."

"What about a time-turner?" asked Hermione.

"No, Miss. Granger," Dumbledore sighed, "we cannot meddle with this situation as it is too complex and would result in two losses if we failed, maybe more."

"Just an idea…"

"Remus?" Mrs. Weasley was staring anxiously at Lupin, whose eyes had glazed over. His hands were shaking and he seemed to be swaying slightly.

"Remus, go up to bed _now_ and I will call for Madame Pomfrey," Dumbledore said sternly. Lupin nodded and managed to stagger out of the room and up the stairs with the help of Mrs. Weasley and Moody. Ron was looking slightly uncomfortable and Snape shifted a little, apprehension and guilt showing momentarily in his eyes, gone after the merest flicker.

**A/N: -** Hope you liked it – review please!


	16. Patricia Peace

**A/N-** Sorry – I know I apologise for late updates every chapter but I really cannot help it! Anyway, please review this chapter and I hope you enjoy it – about time to bring in a new character!

****

****

**Chapter 16 – Patricia Peace**

****

****

"What's wrong with Professor Lupin?" demanded Harry as Madame Pomfrey arrived back in the kitchen.

"I am not at liberty to say that," was the short reply.

"Will he recover before Monday?" Dumbledore asked.

"It depends on whether he follows the strict instructions I've given him," Pomfrey frowned.

"What's wrong with him?" repeated Harry crossly.

"It is not up to me as to what you are told and what you are not."

"Then who can tell me?" Harry looked round desperately.

"It is not too serious, Potter, so don't worry too much – but that really is all I can say on the matter."

"I'm sure Remus will stick to instructions if we make a few idle threats…" Dumbledore smiled mischievously, a troublesome glint in his eyes.

"Molly, when is Patricia arriving?" Mr. Weasley asked his wife.

"Any minute; she had a meeting on damage from the protest. Apparently, all witches and wizards who work for the Ministry have been given a silver dagger by Fudge to carry with them at all times in case Voldemort's werewolves decide to attack in a less obvious manner,"

"Huh, I'll be getting one of those on Monday and it will be going straight to the bottom of my bedside trunk!"

"Arthur, you must carry it!" Molly exclaimed, "Not all werewolves are as friendly as Remus and a lot of them now work for the enemy – and Remus will understand. He knows these measures must be taken and he won't think any less of you if you keep it about your person."

"I suppose…but it just doesn't feel right to be carrying something which you know could kill one of your closest friends…" Mr. Weasley shifted uncomfortably.

"A wand can kill someone."

"But only if you want it to! This is different!"

"Arthur, you are being ridiculous," Mrs. Weasley scoffed at her husband.

"Am I? We can't risk any of the Order. Two words from you-know-who and anyone of us could drop down dead! We have to look out for each other now – no more attempting to do things by ourselves," he was beginning to sound slightly mad. A loud knock on the door sounded and Mrs. Weasley hurried off to answer it. She walked back into the room with another woman.

"Everyone, this is Patricia Peace, my cousin,"

"I hope I can be of service to your cause," Patricia spoke. She was a little taller than Molly Weasley with faded red hair and hazel eyes. Her hair was cut into a cropped style but seemed to flare out hopelessly in wild curls. Harry guessed that she was about fifty years old.

"So, what's going on at the Ministry? Are they telling you to kill werewolves, because if you're with them then you are not welcome here," Harry almost snarled.

"My, my, who are you?"

"Patricia," Mrs. Weasley spoke a little nervously, "this is Harry Potter and the young lady next to him is Hermione Granger."

"Ah, I see – and there's Ronald and Ginevra! Oh, and Fred and George – hello Charlie! Where are dear Bill and Percy?"

"Percy and I are not on speaking terms," Mr. Weasley replied shortly, "and Bill…was given the Dementor's kiss at the protest…"

"Oh, my Goodness! I am so sorry…you didn't lose anyone else, did you? Not from…uh, poison or anything?"

"No…why?"

"I may have accidentally shot down one of your Order members with a poison dart, which contained a small around of tranquiliser as well. Of course, this was before I realised that they were protecting the Minister, not attacking him."

"I wondered where the poison came from," Madame Pomfrey clicked her fingers in realisation, "it was an extremely complex recipe!"

"I made it myself," blushed Patricia sheepishly.

"Do we know how many died, Patty?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Three Ministry workers were killed by werewolves, two of Voldemort's werewolves mistakenly got the Dementor's Kiss after the Dementor's mistaking him for your lycanthropic friend, three of his werewolves died from curses, seven were arrested, and I'm afraid forty-nine escaped. And one Ministry worker, along with Bill now, received the Dementor's Kiss. The Ministry now wants an updated list of werewolves on our side before they end up coming to arrest young Mr. Lupin," she paused, "speaking of which, where is he? The poison didn't kill him or anything did it?"

"No, thank goodness – luckily, I had prepared an antidote for poison and I combined it with purging potion and a few other herbs. The tranquiliser will wear off on its own,"

"I will apologise when I next see him," sighed Patricia.

"I think I'll go to bed now," Harry said, standing up.

"But it's only five-thirty," scoffed Ron, but quieting instantly when he caught Harry's wink at him.

"Nice to meet you, Miss. Peace – and sorry if I seemed rude at first," Harry waved as he made to leave.

"Please, dear, call me Patricia," she called after him.

"Sssh, we don't want to wake him if he's asleep,"

"Then why are we even here?"

"Because I want to know what's-"

"Harry Potter, get back to your room right now! And you, Ronald Weasley," Mr. Weasley barred their way into the room. "I apparated up here to make sure you weren't disturbing your professor or defying your orders."

"I bet Mum put you up to this," muttered Ron.

"Her or Madame Pomfrey," added Harry.

"For your information, neither of them put me up to this…it was Mad-Eye Moody. He could see you two creeping up the stairs, although he was generous enough to mention it in the briefest and quietest of words and only to me."

"Not fair," protested Harry as he and Ron were ushered back down the stairs and into their room.

"Sheesh, I think there's more to this whole protest thing than what they're telling us," Ron flopped onto his bed. Harry smiled; pondering the situation as he absent-mindedly stroked Snuffle's head and tickled him behind the ears.

"Maybe we need to ask Fred and George what's going on when they get back up here. They're still down in the kitchen."

"They won't have been told much more than we have – Mum knows they'll just pass it on."

"Good point – we'll just have to wait until Monday and see if Lupin's in school or not."

"Yeah," grunted Ron, flicking through an old leather-bound book on how to train dogs to sniff out magical poisons and let you know what they are with a series of different barks. Moody had given it to them a long time ago and Ron liked to flick through it every so often. Suddenly, with a resounding 'crack', the twins apparated into Ron and Harry's room, having been banished from the kitchen and so satisfied their need to eavesdrop by listening to the conversation passing between Ron and Harry.

"Can't help but feel sorry for the poor bloke though – so me and Fred have concocted a plan,"

"What did you do?" Ron asked, almost wetting himself with excitement and throwing his book aside.

"We've prepared a few little treats for the Order – if they're…um, distracted…then Mr. Moony can get a break from listening to my Mother's lectures."

"ARGH!" came a voice from downstairs.

"Ballooning Bakewells," the twins grinned at each other, and the four boys raced downstairs.

Sure enough, when all the children arrived downstairs, all the adults were floating around in the air, except for Madame Pomfrey (who had just left) and Dumbledore (who was sat in the corner).

"_Silencio!_" George bellowed, and all of the angry mutters and shouts died.

"Weasel to Moony," Fred whispered into the end of an extendable ear, "the coast is clear."

"What happened? I hear screaming and then everything went silent," Lupin asked as he arrived on the scene, looking like death-warmed up but grinning nonetheless. Mrs. Weasley had gone red in the face and was pointing frantically at Lupin, although what would have been her shouting was silent due to the silencing charm!

"What's that, Mum? We can't hear you," Ron laughed.

"However amusing this may seem and however good your intentions were," said Dumbledore from the corner, peering over the top of his half-moon glasses, "I would like you to reverse the silencing charm this minute and then receive your punishments with good grace. Remus, you should _not_ be up and about yet so I suggest you go back to your room and follow your instructions."

"Poor Professor Lupin looked awful didn't he?" Ron hissed to Harry once their Defence teacher had left the room.

"In future, I would advise you not to pull any more stunts like that unless you want to be strung up by your toes and dangled out of a window for a day," Tonks scolded, slightly red in the face.

"And you knew Remus was not supposed to be up and yet you still proceeded to carry out this little trick!" screeched Mrs. Weasley indignantly.

"Sorry I got you into all this trouble," apologised Lupin that night as he paced around his room. The twins, Harry and Ron had decided to pay their teacher a secret visit once everyone was asleep.

"Nah, we're used to being in trouble," Fred laughed.

"Yeah, it's no biggie," George added.

"Will you be back in school tomorrow?" asked Harry.

"If I get my way then yes…otherwise you will be taught by Professor Trelawney or by Severus, depending on which has a free lesson."

"NO! You have to be there!" Ron's head snapped up at the mention of his two worst teachers.

"I'll try my best," chuckled Lupin, seeming satisfied with the look of shock on everyone's faces at the mention of Snape and Trelawney. The laughter stopped as they heard a clunking noise coming down the corridor. Mood was on his way to check where they were. Fred and George gave the others a short wave before disapparating, leaving Lupin, Harry and Ron to face Moody's wrath.

"What is going on in here, Lupin? I didn't authorise a party," Moody snarled as he entered the room, "Potter and Weasley should be in their room, especially with school tomorrow, and no-one gave you permission to be out of bed, Remus!"

"I was merely explaining a homework I set last week and it's in for tomorrow – these two wanted to check something with me."

"At eleven-thirty at night?"

"Well, it is in for tomorrow and they want good marks."

"You won't be in tomorrow so it looks like they have an extension. If I get my way then you will be staying here for at least another week."

"Then I'll have to make sure you don't get your way then, Alastor," remarked Lupin dryly. Smirking, Harry and Ron left the two men to their quarrels and snuck back to their room.

"I told you before Christmas that we would be starting Dark Creatures this term," Lupin addressed the class in a matter-of-fact manner, "and we are due to summarise the Dark Creatures we will be studying over the term in these lessons. Quills and parchment out please."

"I can't believe this – I have to go and see McGonagall in a really important Defence lesson!" Hermione panicked.

"Don't worry, Hermione – Harry will lend you his notes to copy, won't you?"

"Yes, Professor,"

"Now, off you go,"

"Thanks, Harry," Hermione whispered as she left the room.

"Anyway," Lupin continued, "our first two lessons will be on vampires. The next four on Gargoyles, gremlins and various other topics. The next three will be on werewolves and the next one on giants. We'll see how we go from there. Yes, Neville?"

"Do we actually get to do practical stuff in these lessons?" Neville asked nervously.

"There will be some small demonstrations using some smaller creatures but no larger animals will be brought into lessons. I cannot do anything which may risk your health and safety or get me fired," Lupin warned the class, laughing a little as he noted how many disappointed faces there were in front of him. They hadn't seriously been expecting him to give them a practical lesson using a real vampire, had they?

After Defence Against the Dark Arts, they were doomed to suffer yet another tedious Potions lesson with Snape.

"Today's lesson will be answering questions from a book," Snape bellowed as he charged into the classroom, black robes billowing out behind him in their usual fashion and his greasy hair plastered to his pallid face. The class groaned as they were given textbooks and ordered to work in total silence.

"Damn, I can't find my quill," Ron grumbled.

"Mr. Weasley, you will go and fetch one from Divination. Professor Trelawney ordered a large supply after predicting that nobody would bring them to her third-year class. And I shall take ten points from Gryffindor for your severe lack of organisational skills."

"Yes, sir," Ron sighed, shuffling out of the room.

"Professor Snape?" Hermione inquired casually, "What's happening about the NEWT exams?"

"Excuse me?"

"You only take the best…" Hermione crumbled under Snape's vicious glare.

"I will only put the best into the exam, but the Ministry requires that you all learn all the material required, due to certain…circumstances…" Snape answered, looking instantly back down to the parchment on his desk.

History of Magic seemed to pass even slower than Potions had and Harry spent most of his time staring out of the window and not listening to a single thing that Professor Binns was saying. When the lesson finally ended, he was only too glad to shove his books hurriedly into his bag and make a run for it, only to realise moments later that his next lesson was Divination with Professor Sybil Trelawney!

"Gaze through the mist to discover the reflections of your futures," Trelawney's misty voice drifted through the classroom. The majority of the class seemed to be half-asleep or attempting their Potions homework in a last desperate bid to stay awake.

"Ugh, I wish someone would rescue us from this madness!" Ron groaned sleepily as he yawned for the fifth time in ten minutes.

"Yeah, but any hope of that happening is non-existent – Trelawney would only keep them in here for the rest of the day to discuss the gory details that will be involves in a no doubt premature death!"

"Yeah…lucky Hermione with her extra subjects!" scowled Ron.

"No…" Trelawney's eyes widened as she gazed into Harry's crystal ball.

"Ok, how am I going to die this time?" sighed Harry quietly, looking thoroughly bored.

"Not you…someone you know…not a fellow student – I must warn them never to speak to you again… and never to eat Frog's legs!" she added the last part somewhat nervously after seeing that the whole class was watching them.

"Who is it?" Harry pretended to be concerned, before adding to Ron in an undertone, "I want to warn them first!" he and Ron sniggered.

"Do not mock me, boy," Trelawney commented darkly, "the right-hand of the Dark Lord can reach far and will prevail over the inhuman part within that causes the fatal weakness."

"What do you think she was talking about earlier?" Ron asked after the lesson.

"I don't know for sure…the hand of the Dark Lord…you don't suppose she's referring to Pettigrew, do you?"

"How would she know about that though? Harry, mate, you're getting paranoid! She probably just overheard something from Dumbledore and wanted to worry you. All the teachers are looking out for the students so he won't dare come after you. Besides, all the teachers know what Pettigrew looks like – he's an Animagus and he has a silver hand. He isn't too hard to miss."

"And who's looking out for the teachers?" Harry whirled round, "and the adults in the Order, what about them? I'm not the only one Pettigrew is after, you know!"

"Everyone's looking out for each other. We all just have to pitch in and not do anything rash – we have to take this seriously," Ron paused, horrified, "did that just come out of my mouth? Fred and George would kill me!"

"I won't say anything if you don't," Harry laughed.

"You look sly and creepy and I don't trust that smirk on your face…"

"Sorry – just storing this conversation in my head for blackmailing purposes!"

"Charming…"

"Aren't I just? Come on – we only have Care of Magical Creatures left and then we can relax."

"Patricia wishes to speak to Harry," Dumbledore told Hagrid halfway through the lesson.

"O' course, professor," Hagrid frowned, "Harry, yeh have to go with Professor Dumbledore."

"Good afternoon, Harry," Patricia inclined her head a little in greeting to him.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Peace."

"Patricia – call me Patricia, dear,"

"Sorry,"

"No need to apologise for being polite," Patricia's face broke into a smile, "how are you faring?"

"I'm fine thanks – apparently you needed to speak to me,"

"I do; you are extremely close to the Weasley family, are you not?"

"I'm best mates with Ron and they've always been like family to me, so yeah,"

"Yes, Molly has often mentioned you to me in conversation. I'm her cousin, you know. But that is beside the point; how is Ronald coping?"

"As well as can be expected considering he just lost a brother," Harry replied.

"I wish to know because Molly and Arthur are not well. Molly is becoming thinner and paler each day that passes. Arthur is getting into trouble at work and caused a major commotion this morning when he threw the silver dagger and embedded it in Fudge's desk in protest to carrying it at all times."

"Good for him," Harry muttered.

"Not when it nearly lost him his job," Patricia scolded him firmly, "I wanted to know if Ronald or Ginevra needed any kind of counselling – I am a trained counsellor, you know,"

"They're both fine,"

"What about the twins?"

"Don't see them – they're not at school any more."

"Alastor Moody?" Patricia began running through the Order.

"Don't know,"

"Severus Snape?"

"As slimy as ever…" Harry mumbled sourly.

"Remus Lupin?"

"Fine,"

"I still owe him an apology," Patricia frowned, "anyway-"

"Look, I know your intentions are good but everyone here is fine so I suggest you concentrate your efforts on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Harry took several long, deep breaths to try and control his fiery temper, which was currently bubbling up inside him and threatening to boil over.

"I shall – thank you for your time," Patricia's manner became brisk and formal, "goodbye Mr. Potter – I am going to make my peace with Remus now."

"Goodbye, Patricia,"

"It's Miss. Peace to you," Patricia sniffed pompously before she left in a rush. Dumbledore surveyed him in silence for a few seconds.

"Go back to your lesson now, Harry."

"Yes, Professor," Harry sighed, _Phew, glad that's over, although I'm sure Professor Lupin will need counselling after having to endure an apology from the likes of Patricia Peace…oh well, if he isn't in lessons tomorrow then I'll know what happened to him. How can Patricia be related to someone as nice as Molly Weasley!_ Harry thought as he practically flew back to his lesson.

"Good morning, class," Patricia greeted the class in lesson two on Tuesday, "I am Patricia Peace and you may call me Miss. Peace," she looked meaningfully down her nose at Harry, "I am taking your Herbology lessons for the next couple of weeks as Professor Sprout is, sadly, unwell."

"Oh great," scowled Harry bitterly.

"Keep your comments to yourself please, Mr. Potter."

"No…" he muttered defiantly.

"Pardon?"

"Sorry, Miss. Peace, but I am entitled to an opinion."

"Indeed you are, my dear boy. Now, shall we continue with the lesson?"

"I hope we have better luck with teachers at Duelling club today," Harry thought aloud as he, Ron and Hermione headed to the Great Hall. The tables had been cleared to the side except for one long table down the middle of the hall for the duellers to stand on in demonstrations.

"Good afternoon, everyone – no doubt some of you already know me but I shall introduce myself anyway – I am Patricia peace and you can call me Miss. Peace. I will be taking this club today along with several other members of staff."

"Oh no…" Ron moaned, "Snape's here…"

"And Lupin too, by the looks of it," Hermione pointed to the Defence professor, who had just entered the room and was now stood with McGonagall and Flitwick.

"The teachers will be doing demonstrations with the students and also will be going round to help individuals as we go," Patricia explained, motioning to Snape, who stepped up onto the table, "any volunteers to challenge Professor Snape?"

"Go on, Harry," urged Neville Longbottom from where he was standing.

"Mr. Potter? Good, good, step up here, lad,"

"But I didn't-" Harry protested as he found himself stood opposite Snape.

"Professor Snape will go easy on you. Just give it your best shot."

"Wands at the ready," Flitwick squeaked. As he faced Snape, Harry felt like forgetting magic and just punching him for all the things he'd said and done to everyone Harry knew and cared for. But he fond himself walking back to the end of the table and turning round and getting into a starting position.

"3…2…1…" Patricia counted.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Snape bellowed, causing Harry's wand to fly out of his hands and knocking an unprepared Harry off his feet. Recovering quickly, Harry dived for his wand,

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" he screeched.

"_Protego!_" Snape blocked the attack, "_Impedimenta!_"

"STOP!" Patricia yelled as Harry was thrown off his feet once more, "this is the perfect example of how quick and skilled you must be to go into battle. Now, get into threes and practice counting and quickly disarming your opponent. Two duellers and one umpire."

"Not as good as you make out to be, eh Potter?" Snape smirked as he passed Harry, Malfoy sauntering along not far behind him with a smug grin on his face.

**A/N-** There ya go! Please review and make me very happy!


	17. Playing the Cards

**A/N: -** So, here's the new chappie for everyone! I hope you all enjoy it – once again, I can only apologise and say I dedicate this chapter to all my fellow authors. I hope you will be so kind as to leave me a review…thank-you!

****

**Chapter 17 – Playing the Cards**

****

"Professor Lupin – I was wondering if you would be so kind as to assist me in my demonstration,"

"Demonstration?" Lupin looked up from helping Luna protect herself against Neville's various mistakes in attack.

"Using your opponent's weakness to your advantage," Patricia smiled simply. McGonagall remained oblivious to the discussion between the two but Snape was now watching in utter silence, a strange warning glint in his eyes as he focussed on Patricia's facial expression.

"Mr. Malfoy, as you are the student you may attack first and Professor Lupin will not stop you."

"Miss. Peace, I don't think" Snape interjected.

"Mr. Malfoy is a bright young man, Severus, and I believe he will be able to figure out a weakness quite quickly, if Professor Lupin creates a weakness in duelling for him, like pretends to have a slow reaction or doesn't use certain spells…"

"It's not that, I"

"Wands at the ready!" barked Patricia. Only as the counting started did Flitwick and McGonagall look up. Lupin's face was stony but Snape's face seemed to be edging on anxiety. Harry stopped his duel with Hermione, regardless of the fact she had once again disarmed him.

"Stop this madness," he heard Snape hiss to McGonagall, "We all know what Malfoy will summon to use to his advantage…"

"Severus, I am sure Mr. Malfoy does not possess enough brain cells to conjure a plan such as that,"

"_Expelliarmus!_" Lupin yelled, quickly off the mark with his attack. Malfoy growled angrily and dived for his wand,

"_Accio Silv_"

"_SILENCIO!_" barked Lupin and Malfoy fell instantly silent, his mouth opening and closing like that of a fish, "_Ferula…_" Lupin whispered, grinning as, much to everyone's amusement, bandages whizzed round Malfoy's body at and incredible speed and wrapped him up like an Egyptian Mummy. The entire atmosphere relaxed and Harry allowed himself to breathe easy again. Lupin stepped down and made his way over to talk to Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick while the students giggled at Malfoy's expense as he attempted to untangle himself.

That night was an extremely rough night and Harry knew something was definitely wrong. Tossing and turning in his sleep, he experienced visions of Hermione, Ginny and Luna all being turned to stone; but he ignored them and classed them as figments of a haunted mind.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked Ron in Transfiguration the following day.

"Dunno – but I haven't seen Ginny today either – she wasn't at breakfast."

"Loony Lovegood wasn't there either," a Ravenclaw from the desk behind them piped up.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry got up and tapped his teacher on the shoulder, "may I speak to you?"

"Certainly, Mr. Potter," McGonagall led him to the edge of the room, "now, how can I help?"

"Professor – Hermione, Ginny and Luna weren't at breakfast today and no-one's seen them at all…I had a vision last night that they turned to stone but my scar didn't hurt so I assumed…"

"Mr. Potter, this is a matter that must be looked into at once. I will contact the Order – now, go back to your work," McGonagall's face was stern but re-assuring and she marched out of the classroom, leaving to class to work by themselves.

That evening, Harry was called to Dumbledore's office along with Ron. As he entered, he found the Order gathered round Dumbledore's desk, poring over a piece of parchment.

"Harry, did you do this?"

"Do what?"

"Send this map to us…"

"Map? No, but I saw it in my dream."

"It seems that three young ladies have been kidnapped by a certain Mr. Pettigrew. Tomorrow night we must find them – tonight they will be on full alert for a rescue attempt. Yes, Remus, I am perfectly aware that tomorrow is a full moon. You will remain here this time – Severus, Minerva, Hagrid, Patricia and I will search for the young ladies."

"Why did you call us here?" Harry asked.

"To ask about the map – you may go now."

"What do we do?" inquired Ron on their way back to the Common Room.

"We follow them tomorrow night."

"Are you insane? Voldemort will set his werewolves on us!"

"The werewolves will be preoccupied."

"Whaddaya mean by that?"

"You saw the look on Lupin's face when he was told to sit this one out – he's going to be there for certain!"

"C'mon, they went that way!" Harry hissed as they followed the teachers out of Hogwarts the next night under cover of darkness and the invisibility cloak. Ron had managed to wake Neville while they were getting ready to leave and Neville had insisted on joining them. They followed the teachers to a forest about five miles past Hogsmeade's borders and entered in without a second thought…until they got lost.

"What was that?" squeaked Neville as something moved behind them. Suddenly, three werewolves sprang out of the bushes and began to circle them, growling ferociously. The alpha male advanced on Harry, preparing to spring, when a long and urgent howl sounded not far off. Two of the werewolves picked up a new scent and left but the leader remained. He pounced and a flash of dark brown fur pounced from the bushes, colliding with the black furred alpha and knocking him off balance. The three boys ran while the rusty-brown newcomer fought the jet black alpha.

"Harry, you do realise what just happened, don't you?" Ron gasped as the three of them paused for breath.

"A werewolf just saved us from one of its own pack…?"

"No, Neville, "Harry cut in, "that werewolf wasn't part of the pack – he was under the effects of Wolfsbane; I hate to say it, Ron," he grinned wryly, "but I told you so. Lupin is following us."

"That was!"

"Professor Lupin, yes,"

"But he wasn't supposed to be coming on this mission, remember?" Ron looked completely bewildered.

"I think 'supposed' is the key word in there Ron…and we aren't _supposed _to be here either!"

"I suppose so."

"Come on, we have to keep moving – Lupin won't be able to keep up that pace of fighting forever," Harry grimaced and the three boys were off again.

Moving swiftly through the forest, the howling continued and was dangerously close to them. Harry saw a flash of rusty brown fur in the bushes alongside the three of them and his heart started to race even faster than it had already been going.

"Harry, there's a werewolf following us!" Neville squeaked, terrified.

"I think…hope…it's just Lupin…" Harry replied hesitantly.

"Just Lupin? _Just_ Lupin? He's a bluddy werewolf!" Ron's voice was incredibly high-pitched.

"He's our teacher and is a member of the Order," Harry reprimanded his best friend, "and he saved our lives back there, remember?"

"Chill out, mate. Come on, can you blame me for being a _little_ freaked?"

"I suppose not – let's keep moving."

Harry and the others finally caught up with Dumbledore and the other teachers, keeping themselves hidden.

"Harry, we have to show ourselves – we're in really big trouble either way." Neville urged them on.

"Fine, we'll" Harry was cut off by a low growl. A wolf was emerging from the shadows. It was the leader of Voldemort's werewolves, the one who'd fought Lupin. Dumbledore and the other teachers whipped round and gasped almost in unison as the rest of the werewolf pack emerged from the darkness. Hearing a noise behind him, Harry risked a glance backwards. The rusty-brown coloured newcomer had herded the three students towards the teachers and was now prowling in front of the combined group of three students and five teachers.

"Lupin! He was supposed to stay at Hogwarts," Snape exclaimed, drawing a silver dagger out from his robes as the werewolves advanced menacingly. Lupin was positioned in front of the students, eyes fixed of Voldemort's alpha werewolf, but he looked up as Snape drew the dagger and his wolfish amber eyes shone momentarily with a flicker of fear. One of the werewolves launched itself at Snape, who plunged the dagger into its heart with deadly accuracy, drawing it out again almost instantly. With a final anguished yelp, the werewolf's body went into spasms and it choked on blood mixed with silver. The werewolf's body turned back into the form of a middle-aged man, convulsed a final time, and then lay still; dead.

"Anyone else?" Snape smirked. Lupin gave Snape a filthy look which clearly said, _you idiot! They're uncontrollable monsters!_ But his wolf face whipped round in fury as the alpha male leapt at Harry once more. Lupin, switching to defensive mode, leapt onto the wolf's back and sunk his teeth in. Yelping furiously, the alpha reared up and knocked Lupin off balance, proceeding to fling him roughly to the ground several metres away. The alpha whimpered to the distant moon and skulked back to the depths of the forest after shooting one final dirty glare at Lupin, who was trying to get back to his feet again. In a sudden puff of red smoke, Pettigrew appeared and stood triumphantly in front of the Hogwarts group, silver hand flung out as a warning to the werewolves.

"Well, well, I see you've found our hideaway. It is indeed a shame that you won't live to tell the tale," Pettigrew laughed coldly, "our werewolves will dispose of you with no great difficulty…" and he was gone.

As Pettigrew vanished, the werewolf form of Lupin made his way back towards the Hogwarts party once more and continued circling them, fighting off any werewolf that tried to attack. There was a far-off howl and all of Voldemort's werewolves' ears pricked up and they sped off in the direction of the howl, helpless to resist. Only Lupin remained, and there was an awkward silence before Dumbledore finally spoke,

"Remus, you have quite possibly saved our lives. But I must ask one more favour of you since you are here. I must ask you to go ahead and scout around to look out for any of Voldemort's recruits." Dumbledore sighed as Lupin's ears perked up and he raced off into the forest. Turning to Snape, Dumbledore added, "Severus, I want you to keep that dagger and your wand at the ready."

"Yes, Headmaster,"

"But whatever you do, don't stab Remus."

"I assure you, Headmaster, that I will not be harming Lupin," Snape's face was dark, "I know what he looks like as a werewolf."

"Then I advise you to use that to our advantage."

"Yes, Headmaster."

"Harry, Ron and Neville, I cannot send you back to school alone and I certainly cannot spare anyone here. So, for the while, you will have to remain with us,"

"And find Hermione, Ginny and Luna?"

"And find the young ladies,"

"Headmaster, do we know who sent the map yet?" Snape interjected.

"No…but I suspect it may have been Peter Pettigrew."

"Peter Pettigrew? Are you insane!" Hagrid exclaimed, "Why would he be helping us?"

"He wasn't. He was luring us to him – the lair of Voldemort is in here somewhere but I know it is not as the map says or we would have found it by now. I have been foolish indeed."

"So we're lost?" Ron piped up.

"Yes, Ron, I'm afraid we are."

**A/N: -** And there you have it – hope you liked it! Next one up as soon as I can!


	18. Useful Information

**A/N: -** Here is the next chapter – I really do have to get the time between my updates to regular intervals! Ugh, the chaos of life! ;-) Anyhow, this is the next instalment and I will warn you that the subject of this story, the Altar of Life, will soon come into play…not in this chapter – but in the next couple! Thank you to all reviewers – and if you are reading but not reviewing then please endeavour to do both! Thanks and enjoy!

****

****

**Chapter 18 – Useful Information.**

****

"Great, so now what do we do?" Ron groaned. Neville remained silent, looking utterly bewildered, but Harry slammed his fists into the trunk of a tree, instantly regretting this action as bruising began to form.

"We have to find Hermione and the others," he mumbled through gritted teeth.

"Headmaster," Patricia piped up for the first time since Harry had arrived, "if the map has sent us in the wrong direction then perhaps it would be wise to retrace our steps and then start over, going in the opposite direction to what the map says."

"She has a point, Albus," McGonagall added, lips pursed tightly together.

"An' then we might meet Lupin on our way back. Then at least the 'ole company will be together." Hagrid continued.

"It is an extremely good suggestion – and it would, without a doubt, get us to Voldemort's lair…if we knew which way 'back' was." Dumbledore's face was weary and he looked as though even he was beginning to doubt their chances of survival, let alone their chance of success on the rescue mission.

"Let's keep moving – we need to stay one step ahead of Voldemort's werewolves," Snape raised the silver dagger he was carrying, "or they will catch up to us – most likely with double their previous number."

"Then let us move onwards," Dumbledore strode out in front, "I know which way it is to the centre of the forest and Voldemort's lair will most probably be situated somewhere in that area; if not then it will at least be a sensible place to start from."

"It's worth a try – we've got no other way to go," McGonagall sighed tiredly.

The small group of witches and wizards picked their way through the forest undergrowth and eventually came to a tiny clearing where they could take a short break. The forest was damp and gloomy and the trees were coated with frost, moss and various creepy crawlies.

After the short break, they set off again but they hadn't gone far before they were confronted by something very peculiar. There was a fork in the path they had picked, both paths being equally dark. They made to head down the right-hand one when a ferocious looking werewolf leapt out in front of them, snarling. Snape instantly raised the dagger to strike and the werewolf backed down slightly, howling mournfully at the moon. It was the Alpha male…and Lupin was nowhere in sight.

"What do we do?" Patricia squeaked as the rest of the pack emerged.

"We go through the forest between the paths; it will be the safest route to take," Dumbledore answered sharply. There was a growl from behind Snape and the Potions Master whipped round and plunged the dagger down without a second thought, missing the werewolf by mere inches as it leapt to the side to dodge the attack. Said wolf glared indignantly at Snape, almost seeming to scowl.

"For Merlin's sake, Lupin, sneaking around like that is dangerous!" Snape hissed. Looking decidedly sullen, Lupin pricked up his ears and pounced on the other werewolves, taking down the Alpha male and the Sikla (weakling) at the same time, killing the weaker one in seconds. The Alpha was enraged by this outsider's daring attacks on him earlier and reared up, smacking Lupin and sending him sprawling across the ground, whimpering. The Alpha licked his lips hungrily and advanced on the fallen wolf, readying himself to kill Lupin. He lunged forward to strike at high speed but Snape was faster. Recognising the situation as beyond Lupin's control, he flicked his wrist and the dagger soared through the air at lightning-bolt speed and straight into the heart of the Alpha male, who continued towards Lupin. Snape cursed under his breath and sent the killing curse at the Alpha male, killing him instantly. The other werewolves made a hasty retreat as Lupin remained still on the ground.

"Severus, you used the killing curse!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"The dagger wouldn't have been fast enough," was Snape's short reply. Hagrid had now knelt by Lupin's motionless form; the Defence teacher's wolfish body unmoving save for the occasional quivering of his fur as the wind swept through it.

"Remus, I am sorry about this," Dumbledore sighed as Lupin stirred slightly, "but we need to keep moving and we could use your help." He waited for a sign from the werewolf and Lupin wagged his tufted tail solemnly as he got to his feet. He then glanced at Snape curiously,

"Now we are even; that was in payment of the debt I owed to the werewolf who saved my life a while ago. We are even," he broke off sharply. Lupin's eyes showed that he understood and he bounded off to scout ahead.

"Did you see how fast Snape reacted?" Ron said disbelievingly as he, Neville and Harry hung back a little with only Hagrid walking behind them.

"It was scary – Snape used a killing curse!"

"Not just that," Harry whispered, "he broke the law to save Lupin's life…"

"Whatever you say abou' Professor Snape, it ain't all 'onest, what you're being told, and he ain't all bad – he owed his life to a werewolf but, as the poor creature is dead, he paid back 'is debt to Lupin an' now he's not in debt anymore," Hagrid explained, lowering his voice so that the Potions Master wouldn't hear them discussing his actions.

"But still, he moved so fast," Neville murmured.

"I actually thought I saw a flicker of anger on his face," Ron added.

"Ok, now I'm sure you're seeing things!" laughed Harry, patting Ron's shoulder. The three boys chuckled and Hagrid guffawed loudly.

"Quiet, Hagrid! Do you want to get those filthy werewolves back on our trail? Or do you want to be confronted by you-know-who instead?" snapped Snape, whipping round to face them. Hagrid instantly silenced and the group continued to move swiftly through the dense forest. A sudden rustling caught their attention and Lupin emerged from the shadows, tugging at Dumbledore's robe with his teeth to get them to follow him. The group followed, albeit slightly reluctantly at first, and Lupin led them to a clearing where, in the centre of the clearing, there stood a huge stone altar. Lupin darted round to the opposite side of the altar and howled into a crack in it. The stone structure sank down into the ground and a Portkey rose up. The Hogwarts party stepped forward, all placing a hand on the portkey. Within seconds, they had been transported to a dingy room; Voldemort's lair.

"REPORT!" Pettigrew bellowed as he marched into the room, threatening Lupin with his silver hand; the rest of the group had dived out of sight when they heard the door opening. Growling, Lupin raised a paw and slashed at Pettigrew's left leg, "Moony…" the small, balding man hissed venomously, "you will not escape this time – MASTER!" he called.

"Wormtail, what is it?" Voldemort roared as he burst into the room in a shower of green flames.

"It's Remus Lupin, my lord – he has found out hideout!" Pettigrew pointed frantically at the werewolf, who was now crouched in a defensive position, a menacing growl emitting from his jaws.

"Lock him up!"

"Can't I kill him?" whined Pettigrew.

"Not until we've caught the rest of the group – besides, it's one less 'person' to defend Hogwarts!" Voldemort cackled and was gone in a flash. Eyes shining hatefully, Pettigrew drew out a silver dagger and Lupin backed off, snarling as he did so.

"Come with me, Moony, or I kill you…" Pettigrew trailed off, sounding as though he would enjoy the second option a lot more than the first. Casting a last warning look back to the hidden teachers and students, Lupin followed Pettigrew out of the room and within five minutes, the sound of Wormtail's heavy footfalls had disappeared and the room was silent once more.

"I _hate_ him!" Harry snapped, "And how can Professor Lupin give himself up so calmly?"

"Because if he didn't then Pettigrew would have killed him and we would all have most likely been discovered and disposed of," McGonagall replied shortly, pursing her lips. They were worried about Voldemort's remark concerning 'one less person to defend Hogwarts' and desperately tried to figure out what it could mean and what his immediate plan was.

"I get the distinct feeling that Voldemort is going to attack Hogwarts in the near future," Dumbledore sighed solemnly.

"What do we do, Headmaster?" Snape asked, sheathing his silver dagger and pulling his wand out, readying himself for a duel if they were attacked.

"And what about Remus? Are we to abandon him?" Patricia piped up.

"We will have to split into two parties. Patricia, you and Hagrid will search for Remus – the rest of us will investigate Voldemort's plans. Hagrid, you have a silver dagger, I believe?"

"That I do, Headmaster – although I don' really want to carry it."

"It will be necessary protection. Now, go!"

"How long do you think it will be before we are discovered?" Ron gulped as they crept along the dark corridors of Voldemort's lair.

"Well, Lupin wouldn't give them any information even if he was able to speak at this moment in time; we will be extra cautious and I trust Patricia and Hagrid to stay out of sight. So, with all hope, we shall try to avoid that scenario." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"Headmaster, I can hear something…" Snape trailed off.

"This is not good – we're trapped with nowhere to hide if they come in here," McGonagall clasped her hands together nervously, "not good at all."

"We need to keep moving – and quickly!"

"Keep going? And leave Professor Lupin at the mercy of Pettigrew," Harry spat Wormtail's name as if it were the most poisonous thing on the planet.

"Harry, we have no choice. We have people looking for Remus – our job, however, is to find Voldemort's plans for Hogwarts. Albus, where to next?" McGonagall looked expectantly at the Headmaster.

"Let us follow the corridor until we find some sort of clue," Dumbledore decided.

"Headmaster, I've found something!" McGonagall called from a little way down the corridor.

"What is it, Minerva?" Dumbledore led the party into the room McGonagall had entered into. She was poring over a piece of parchment, face pale and lips pursed with a deep frown line etched across her forehead.

"It's the plans, Headmaster – the plans to attack Hogwarts!"

"What?" Snape growled menacingly. Harry shot a nervous look at his teachers and fellow students.

"What does it say, Minerva?"

"They plan to attack Hogwarts at midnight tonight and that's less than three hours from now as it is already a half-past-nine!"

"We must get back to the school at once," Snape sighed, "or it is doomed."

"What about the others? Hagrid, Professor Lupin and Patricia?" Ron cut in angrily.

"They will find their own way back – they are more than capable of looking after themselves."

"You think they will find Lupin?" Ron then muttered to Harry, who shrugged.

"I trust both of them, Hagrid especially, and they won't want to fail Dumbledore…"

"What are the specific plans?" Snape asked McGonagall as he too began to study the map of the school and the plans to attack it.

"They plan to send the Dementors to stand guard at the perimeter and send the werewolves into the forest, although several will be left here. Death Eaters into the building and then a final purge of the building with the Dementors if there is a lot of resistance."

"So, you have found my plans…how fitting considering that I have found your spy…" Voldemort cackled harshly as he slammed the door shut having walked silently into the room, "and I see you have also led young Mr. Potter to me – it seems to be my lucky day!"

**A/N: -** So…it seems they have been caught – but which of the three 'spies' is Voldemort talking about? You'll have to wait until next time although I'm sure you'll be making your own guesses as to who it is. Also, I will warn you now that there is a lot of suffering in the next chapter for our characters and I am glad to say that we will be back at Hogwarts very soon…after some nasty setbacks! I will say no more here – Review please and then look out for the next chapter – which is going to be a significant amount longer!


	19. Stone Cold

**A/N: -** This is possibly one of my longest chapters ever! PLEASE REVIEW! And thank you to anyone that does – but I really would love to boost my reviews total – so please do!

****

**Chapter 19 – Stone Cold**

"Our spy?" Dumbledore's voice was determinedly calm.

"A certain young Mr. Lupin…I believe Peter is dealing with him at this very moment," Voldemort smirked at the looks on the faces in front of him.

"Don't you dare---" Harry started, but was held back by Neville and Ron.

"Dare what, Mr. Potter? I see you still have that temper of yours. You could at least save some anger for when your beloved Hogwarts is attacked."

"Shut up."

"Oh, but I haven't had the chance to revel in my glory yet…"

"SHUT UP!" Harry screeched.

"Oh dear, Mr. Potter – we do seem to have an anger management problem, don't we?" Voldemort cackled in satisfaction at the red-faced teenager.

"Master, the werewolf escaped!" Pettigrew thumped on the door. Voldemort threw it open with a flick of his wrist and dragged Pettigrew in, throwing him down.

"WHAT!"

"I've sent as many as we could spare out to look for him and the delta pack is looking for him – they will find him."

"How can you be so sure?" Snape scowled darkly, almost seeming to smile.

"Let's just say that the Ministry's actions against our werewolves have resulted in the certain death of yours…those daggers are handy…he won't get far with mild silver poisoning – but he won't be dead so you can still have your fun, Master."

"Very good, Wormtail," Voldemort congratulated his right-hand Death Eater, "and we have caught their other spy?"

"Other spy?"

"The giant, Hagrid?" Pettigrew grinned maliciously. He then clicked his fingers and an unconscious Hagrid was hauled into the room by five Death Eaters, "Yes, we got him too."

"Hagrid!" Ron exclaimed.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort screeched, flinging Ron backwards with the pointing of a finger, then pausing for a moment, contemplating what to do with the dazed boy, "you know, I think---"

"MacNair!" Pettigrew whirled round as a Death Eater poked his head round the door.

"What do you want? We're busy!" Voldemort sneered.

"We got the werewolf; the attack on Hogwarts is in its final stages of preparation – however the Alpha wolf of the Delta pack is dead so I have appointed the next strongest – the wolf had severe bite wounds on his back and was finished by a killing curse. The work of Lupin and one other, though which one I am not sure."

"I think we should lock Lupin up in here. Make sure that the silver poisoning is not strong enough to cause death, just to cause fever and slow his reactions." Voldemort smirked. Within minutes MacNair had returned and Lupin, still in his werewolf form, was flung into the room to join his comrades.

"Master," Pettigrew bowed deeply, "I am going to oversee the attack," he turned to face Lupin, "I'll deal with you later," he spat.

"You will remain locked in here until the attack is over. Then I will kill you," Voldemort left the room and it was locked from the outside, and magic wards set up around it.

As the night progressed, Harry looked at the miserable faces around him. Snape was sour, Dumbledore and McGonagall were calm and composed, Hagrid was solemn and his eyes were repeatedly glancing over and over towards the still unconscious werewolf curled up in the corner. Neville was shaking and Ron was watching a spider, rigid with fear, as it climbed up the wall nearby.

"Harry, are you ok?" Ron gulped, trying to distract himself.

"Yeah – what time do you think it is now?"

"Dawn, almost," Dumbledore's voice replied. As if on cure, Lupin began the painful transformation back to a human. Once he was back to normal, he immediately pushed himself up onto his knees.

"Ok, whatever I expected, it wasn't that," he laughed.

"The situation is not to be laughed at, Lupin," Snape's icy tone cut short the little relief from the tension that Lupin had created.

"And what exactly _is_ the situation?"

"There's an attack on Hogwarts…it started at about midnight," Dumbledore explained calmly.

"A what?" An attack?" Lupin's face paled instantly.

"It will have been going on for quite a while now," McGonagall continued in a slightly higher pitched voice than usual.

"Oh God – I should have been there – you told me to sit this one out and now, because I wouldn't listen, I'm not there to help fight the werewolves," Lupin heaved himself to his feet but sat down quickly as he put weight on his right ankle, "Dammit!" he cursed.

"Wha's wrong?" Hagrid looked up from where he'd been staring at his feet in dismay.

"I've probably just sprained it or something, that's all," Lupin replied, rubbing his swollen ankle.

"Well, don' put any weight on it, if yeh can help it."

"Where's Patricia?" Snape suddenly piped up.

"They didn't catch her," Hagrid whispered.

"Then we still have the chance to get back to Hogwarts and defend it," Harry's eyes lit up.

"Yes, Harry, we do," Patricia opened the door and smiled warmly at all of them.

"Patricia," McGonagall greeted her, "thank Merlin you're here – let's go!"

As the group crept along the corridors, Harry stuck close behind Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, what about Hermione, Ginny and Luna?"

"Do not worry, Mr. Potter – I have been informed of their whereabouts."

"You have?"

"Remus found them when he was running from the Death Eaters and he told me of their whereabouts."

"Where is Professor Lupin?" Harry looked back and finally spotted an extremely pale Lupin using the support of Hagrid to keep the weight off his ankle.

"What is it, Harry?" Lupin asked.

"You know where the girls are?"

"Yes, and it's not good – Voldemort has turned them to stone and I wasn't in any state to change them back."

"So it's a simple enough spell to change them back?"

"Extremely simple…Dumbledore will sort it in a second," Lupin smiled weakly, wincing a little.

"Sorry, you should be focussing on walking, not talking to me."

"Don't worry about it – I've been through this once a month for more than twenty years."

"That just seems so unfair."

"I'll have to stop you there, Harry," Lupin regarded him sternly; "there are more important things to worry about than problems in the past that can't be changed…"

"Harry, we've found them!" Dumbledore suddenly announced to him. Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief and Harry rushed forward, nearly knocking several people off their feet. But when he reached the doorway, he looked in and saw Hermione, Ginny and Luna turned to stone.

"Oh Merlin…" Harry trailed off, clamping his hand over his mouth. Ron and Neville stood beside him looking equally shocked. Dumbledore stepped forward and began chanting in a low voice. Within moments, the girls lurched forwards as they jerked back into the world of movement and life.

"Harry! Ron! Neville!" Hermione hugged each of them in turn, "I'm so glad you're all here; I was beginning to worry that you'd never arrive."

"We need to get out of here – we were all so worried about you." Harry grinned at the three girls.

"You aren't going anywhere!" Voldemort hissed from behind them, "I knew you would escape somehow – so now I will stop playing games with you and no more games!"

"When was this ever a game?" Lupin muttered to Hagrid.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort flung out a hand and Lupin yelped as he was slammed into a pile of amulets that were stacked in a corner. He scrambled out of them as fast as he could. Voldemort laughed coldly as the werewolf made it out of the silver and collapsed on the floor, gasping for the air; the amulets had been silver, "hurts, doesn't it? But then it's no more than you deserve. You will be dead within an hour at most,"

"You'll pay for this, Voldemort," Dumbledore's eyes were uncharacteristically gleaming with anger.

"What's going on? Lupin can't die unless it's in his bloodstream," Ron pointed out, confused.

"It is…it's bound to be…" Harry's voice cracked as Voldemort let out a bark-like laugh and vanished.

"If Voldemort can apparate and disapparate then why can't we?" Luna asked slowly, her voice dreamy even under the current circumstances.

"It seems as if he has a way to disable the shields momentarily as he apparates and disapparates and then he replaces them quickly enough to stop us escaping."

"Albus," Patricia alerted the Headmaster, "Remus is fading fast…we have to get him out of here."

"How long has he got?" Snape asked, kneeling down on the other side of Lupin so he was opposite Patricia.

"I…don't know," Patricia hung her head in despair.

"Hang on," Snape checked Lupin's pulse and waved his wand over him, "between forty and fifty minutes."

"Don't…do me any favours…Severus," Lupin gasped as Snape hauled him to his feet.

"Believe me, Lupin; I am only helping you to prevent the whole party getting caught. And I don't want to give Potter another excuse as to why his grades have dropped."

"I'd rather blame his Potions grades on the lack of help he receives from the teacher," Lupin joked.

"Let's focus on getting out of here for the moment, shall we?" Hermione suddenly interjected.

"Excellent suggestion, Miss. Granger," McGonagall's mouth almost curved into a smile.

The group moved incredibly slowly and cautiously. Lupin was getting weaker and the group was gradually slowing up even more with every minute that passed.

"Headmaster," Hagrid suddenly called. The group turned round and Hagrid was now supporting a completely unconscious Lupin, "his time is running out."

"We're nearly out of this lair!" McGonagall pointed to an exit.

Climbing up and back into the forest, the party found themselves in the clearing with the Altar once more. Setting Lupin down carefully, Hagrid straightened up and looked around, cracking his knuckles and stretching.

"We'll never get to Hogwarts before Voldemort himself does," Patricia sighed.

"We will have to split up. If----" Dumbledore was cut off by Snape.

"Headmaster!" Snape's voice was urgent, "he's not going to last!" he was trying to calm the werewolf, who seemed to be having some kind of panic attack. Hagrid lifted the shivering werewolf and led him on the stone altar.

"Is he going to be ok?" Harry moved to his Professor's side.

"I don't know, Potter," snapped Snape, who was rushing round Lupin, checking his pulse, temperature and trying to calm him down a little. Harry backed off and turned round and grimaced to Ron. Hearing Snape curse, he whipped back round to see the Potions master run his hands through his greasy black hair, "I'm sorry, Potter," he sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

"No…he can't be…" Harry began to move back towards the Altar when a noise behind them caused them to whirl round sharply. The pack of werewolves was surrounding them, now in human form with their wands drawn.

"I thought they'd be at Hogwarts!" Ron whimpered.

"Clearly not," Ginny shot back.

"Damn! This is so crazy!" Harry was shaking with rage, angry tears welling up in his eyes, "and Voldemort is out destroying Hogwarts having also just murdered the one remaining link to my parents and my past!"

"Harry, calm down," Hermione put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"DUCK!" Neville yelled, barrelling into Harry and Hermione as a werewolf sent a curse flying at them. As they ducked, the werewolf stumbled forward and made for Lupin's body. Reacting at incredible speed, Snape and McGonagall hexed it at exactly the same moment, knocking it out. Harry jumped back to his feet and drew his wand.

"We have to get out of here!" Patricia screeched.

"Really? I thought we'd stay for tea and cakes!" Snape's snide voice cut through the atmosphere.

"Who'd have thought it? Snape's got a sense of humour!" Ron joked as he stood back to back with Luna and Ginny.

"Most people do; it's merely a case of unearthing it." Luna replied. Ron rolled his eyes and tried to catch Harry's gaze and force a smile out of his best friend. But Harry's eyes were still fixed on Lupin. Ron felt a pang of sadness in the pit of his stomach as he saw another part of Harry's past disappear. The human werewolves were dropping like flies without the advantage of being in their animal forms and soon the coast was almost clear and Dumbledore took the chance to sound the alert.

"Let's go! Hagrid, get Remus!"

"Uh…I would, but somethin' is happenin'…" Hagrid was backing away from the Altar, which was glowing a brilliant white. Lupin's body began to lift off the Altar and a deep blue haze surrounded him. Shielding their eyes, the Hogwarts party and remaining werewolves backed off a little. A sudden flash of green light and a small explosion caused everyone to jump and Lupin's body was led once more on the Altar. Snape edged cautiously forward, picking up Lupin's wrist, and then drew back in surprise and utter shock.

"It can't be possible! No magic can raise the dead!" he gasped. Everyone was silent.

"The silver poisoning? Is it gone?" Dumbledore asked, not sounding too shocked.

"I don't think so – I mean I don't actually know – it might be, it might not…but he still has the cuts and bruises."

"A lot of them by the looks of it."

"But alive – that's impossible!"

"Clearly not…" Lupin's hoarse and shaky voice came from behind Snape, where he was now using McGonagall's support to stand up.

"How did you do that?" Snape had now gone white.

"I don't know…but the silver is definitely still there." Lupin's eyes were glazed over and he looked like death warmed up, which seemed to be exactly what had just happened.

"We checked your pulse and everything," Patricia's voice trembled, "you were one hundred percent dead!"

"Unless," Dumbledore mused, "this is the legendary Altar of Life said to exist only in mythology, the tales of days long gone."

"What?" was the general response.

"I will explain once we are out of the forest," Dumbledore stunned their remaining assailants and the group set off once more, slowly for the sake of the injured werewolf of their party.

As they neared the edge of the forest, Harry began to panic – getting out of the forest was one thing but saving Hogwarts was another matter entirely.

"How do we get past the perimeter guard?"

"They've not got too much awareness," Lupin spoke softly, his voice hoarse, "and some of them will be gone and at Hogwarts. The others we can stun from behind. And most of them will be too tired from the transformation back into their human selves."

"Save your strength, Remus," McGonagall chided him sternly, "don't waste breath on talking."

"_Stupefy!_" Snape stunned the remaining perimeter guards one by one as quickly and quietly as he could.

"We will head for those bushes," Dumbledore pointed to some bushes about thirty feet away from the edge of the forest, "but we shall do so in two groups: Harry, Ron and Neville, you will wait here until you are instructed further. Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Hagrid and Severus will go first."

"Righ', Headmaster," Hagrid and his group made a break for it, signalling when they had reached the other side.

"Everyone ready? Good – then let's go."

Once both groups were safely across the gap and in the secure concealment of the bushes, questions began to pour out and flood Dumbledore.

"You say no magic can bring people back to life?"

"What was that all about?"

"An Altar of Life?"

"How is it possible?"

"Can it bring anyone back?"

"Is it Dark magic?"

"It's impossible…isn't it?"

The questions and thoughts were flying in all directions and the creases in Dumbledore's forehead were deepening as each one was asked. He was pensive, thoughtful, his eyes glued to Lupin, the only silent member of the party.

"I said I would explain, and explain I shall…"

"Shouldn't we get back to 'ogwarts first?" Hagrid asked.

"…when we have saved Hogwarts," Dumbledore finished.

"The students should not hear it," Snape cut in icily, "They are not part of the Order."

"Cut it out, Severus," Lupin hissed through gritted teeth. Snape opened his mouth to make a scathing remark but was silenced with one look from Dumbledore.

"The students will remain present, having fully witnessed what happened," he sighed and a new spark of determination ignited within him, "for now, Hogwarts is our top priority. Remus, you are to go directly to the hospital wing. Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, Ginevra and Luna will return to their dorms. Everyone else is to follow me."

To speed up the process, Dumbledore hastily produced a portkey which would transport them to the Gates of Hogwarts. All exchanging last, slightly nervous glances, they placed their hands on the bag of Sherbet Lemons and Harry felt the familiar jerking sensation beneath his navel and he was swirling through a vortex of colour.

Trying to land on their feet, and without much success, the group swiftly regained their composure and split to go their separate ways. Harry and the other students began creeping along the very edge of the castle, taking refuge in the shadows to avoid discovery.

"At least it is past dawn," Harry thought aloud, "no werewolves to be attacked by."

"You've got that right, mate," Ron's fearful voice replied from just behind him.

"It seems reasonably quiet – all the werewolves seemed to have fled or were killed. And I can only see a few Death Eaters," Hermione added.

"But no teachers or students," Luna's dreamy, far-off voice sliced into Harry's thoughts and the truth of what she'd said hit him seconds later with a staggering force like a knife through his heart. There were no teachers or students in sight. He was brought back to his senses when they reached the courtyard and made a dash for the door. As soon as he stepped inside, Harry felt something; another presence. The air went cold and he recognised it instantly. Dementors were swarming through the school, sucking the souls of anyone who wandered across their path. The six students continued to move around the school, evading any Dementors they felt to be nearby.

Finally, they reached the Ravenclaw tower where they saw Luna safely inside. But, as they continued, Harry felt a deep sense of foreboding as though he was a puppet and was being forced to break into a run. The others followed suit and they shortly, by some miracle, reached the Gryffindor tower without running into anything…or worse.

"Where's the Fat Lady?" Neville squeaked worriedly.

"What!" Harry snapped back to reality, "She's gone?"

"Looks like it, doesn't it?" Hermione clicked her tongue impatiently and moved forward, opening the unguarded Portrait hole with a small pouch.

"Where is everyone?" gulped Ginny nervously, hiding behind an equally terrified Ron.

"Gone," Harry stated simply. Hearing a noise and a shuffling sound behind them, the five students spun round.

"We have all the Gryffindor girls in our tower and the boys are in the Great Hall."

"LUNA!" Hermione scolded the girl, "don't creep up on us like that!"

"Sorry," Luna blushed, parsnip earrings swinging from side to side. Fiddling with her garlic necklace, she saw Hermione screw up her nose and explained, needlessly in Harry's opinion, "to ward off any vampires."

"I never could have guessed," Ginny giggled, "thanks, Luna."

"Yeah," Neville beamed with relief, "we thought everyone had been taken by the Dementors or something!"

"Thankfully, no – although I think several may be in the hospital wing."

"Better than dead," Harry smiled vaguely.

"Harry, you know none of this is your fault, don't you?"

"I'm not sure, Hermione – if it wasn't for me then Voldemort would never have attacked Hogwarts…or at least not so viciously."

"That's nonsense!" Luna said indignantly.

"I never thought I'd say this," Ron added, "but Loony, I mean Luna, is right. He would've attacked anyway because of Dumbledore and the teachers. They are all key members in the fight against him and by getting hold of students he can bargain for their lives…with some of the most influential wizarding families in the world. He can get more allies – you're just his prize trophy, the one he will eventually hope to kill when there is no defence left."

"Thanks Ron," Harry took a deep breath, "ok, I'll just get my invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map," he paused, "you go ahead."

"No, mate, I'm waiting for you."

"And me,"

"Fine. Neville, you take Ginny and Luna back to the Ravenclaw tower – do _not_ get found. Ron and Hermione hide until I get back," he called over his shoulder as he ran up the stairs and began rummaging through his things, eventually digging out the items he'd been looking for. But when he returned downstairs, Ron had been knocked unconscious and Hermione was being held at wand-point by Lucius Malfoy, who was cackling coldly.

"What's the matter, Potter? You're facing a simple choice: - do you come quietly to the Dark Lord or do you let your friends die?"

"Let them go…" Harry growled.

"Will you surrender?"

"Yes, just don't hurt them," Harry pleaded.

"Potter, stay where you are," Moody burst into the room, Tonks only a couple of feet behind him.

"Nymphadora – stay away! And as for you, Moody, prepare to die!"

"It's Tonks, Lucius – and just because you married my aunt you are not a member of my family." Tonks snapped, taking up a defensive stance.

"How can you betray the Black family? You and your mother, and her despicable cousin, never stuck to your roots. But it's not too late for you, Nymphadora. You can still join the side of the Dark Lord, instead of mixing with mud-bloods, half-bloods, Auror scum, half-breeds and a bunch of meddling children!"

"I will never join you – you and your precious Voldemort can go to hell!"

"Temper, temper," Lucius Malfoy studied his wand and, with lightning reflexes, deflected an attack from Harry and then from Tonks, retaliating with a quick hex that sent Tonks skidding across the floor. Staggering to her feet, she shock her head to clear it and Moody's magical eye swivelled round so he could check she was ok while his normal eye remained fixed on Lucius Malfoy.

"Constant vigilance," he muttered under his breath.

"You old fool; you think mere courage will win this war?"

"It's more likely than winning through this shameful cowardice."

"Fools! You're all going to die! Potter, you had your choice but I don't think I'll be keeping my side," Lucius grabbed a handful of something out of his pocket, stunned Harry, threw the powder down and it burst into a cloud of billowing smoke and escaped with all three students, leaving Moody and Tonks staring helplessly after them.

Harry awoke to find himself bound to a tree in the Hogwarts forest. Nearby was Ron in a similar situation but Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

"Ron," whispered Harry sharply, "Ron, where's Hermione?"

"I don't know – she escaped and ran into a deeper part of the forest."

"Did they take our wands?"

"I don't know…I woke up and everything was gone. Have you still got the cloak and map," Ron asked, having realised that he didn't see Lucius Malfoy take it. Harry frowned and shifted a little, cursing under his breath as he couldn't feel them anywhere.

"I don't have them."

"Well, I do so stop complaining," a female voice said from behind them.

"Hermione! You're back---"

"Sssh!" Hermione prodded him in the back of the neck, "do you want us to get caught?"

"Sorry…you don't happen to have our wands too, do you?"

"What do you take me for? Of course I've got your wands. But I can't get you out until Tonks has given me the signal. She and Moody were on their way down here when I ran into them. They're deep in the forest now with a weapon which they'll use to distract the Death Eaters; the attack is dying down and Voldemort's forces are being driven away and this weapon will get rid of them and chase them back to their lair." Hermione suddenly looked up as a flock of crows reeled up into the sky, "that's the signal – let's go." She finished, untying Harry and then proceeding to untie Ron. There was an almighty roar and the trees around them suddenly started trembling, come crashing down.

"What the---!" Ron started and then realised that Harry and Hermione had started running.

"Hermione, what is that?"

"Grawp – you remember him? So you think it's a good idea? We use him as a distraction and---" she broke off and flung an arm out to stop the boys. There was a large, muscled man with Jet black hair, streaked with blonde, and bleeding from several places. There were bite marks on his back and Harry gasped as he realised it was one of the werewolves from the lair of Voldemort. And he was talking to Pettigrew.

"You are the new Alpha – so you were supposed to guard the Altar – no-one was supposed to find out about it!"

"I tried to knock the guy off of the Altar but I was hexed."

"Who was it that was brought back to life? One of ours?"

"No, one of theirs; the werewolf, Remus Lupin?"

"Moony? Well, well, well, I think I could work this to our advantage…"

**A/N: -** Well, there you go – a cliffy – the more reviews I get the more likely I am to update sooner – although I hopefully will update sooner than usual anyway, now I have a deadline for the ACTUAL 6th book coming out!


	20. Tha Altar of Life

**A/N: -** SORRY SORRY SORRY! Yes, I know I keep saying I will update more often but it's so difficult – however, those of you who like this story and are reviewing it for me will be pleased as I have to have this finished before JK Rowling releases the Half-Blood Prince on the 16th July – I can't wait to read it! Please review for me! There will only be two more chapters to this and there may be a character death – and you will find out more in the penultimate chapter if you review…enjoy!

****

****

**Chapter 20 – The Altar of Life**

"How long will we be safe for before he attacks again?" Harry asked that night at the meeting.

"About six months…he will need to regroup his forces – we killed a lot of his werewolves at his lair and we injured a lot of Death Eaters here."

"He won't attack until he is back to full strength again," Flitwick sighed.

"Um…Headmaster?" Hermione looked up at last.

"Yes, Miss. Granger?"

"On our way out of the Dark Forest earlier, we heard Pettigrew talking to a werewolf. The werewolf told him about Professor Lupin and the Altar; Pettigrew said he could make it work to his advantage. What's it all about?"

"I had hoped that Pettigrew would never find out – but that was a faint hope."

"Why? What did he mean?"

"He is now bound to obey one command from the master of the Altar – Voldemort, in this case. Voldemort will use this to his advantage. Who knows what he will do?"

"So Lupin in now a threat to---"

"No, Severus, not unless he is in the presence of Voldemort."

"Where is he right now?" Patricia asked, noting for the first time since the start of the meeting that Lupin wasn't there.

"Under the care of Madam Pomfrey; the Altar merely brings people back to life and gives them enough strength to fight for another forty-eight hours, but it in no way cures them."

"It can bring anyone back to life?"

"No, not anyone,"

"Then why---?"

"Because he is a werewolf; the origin of the Altar does not matter at the present time. But there is no way of avoiding this – Remus is now indebted to Voldemort and the Altar's curse will force him to follow one order, any order, or be forced to kill himself – if he can fight it."

"So Voldemort can make Remus do anything?" Tonks interrupted, "even kill Harry?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Dumbledore glanced at Harry to see the boy's reaction, but the boy's face was blank, "there is, however, a possible way around this. He may be able to throw off the curse if he can fight it long enough to…kill himself."

"Then let us hope he is not ordered around – or that he has the strength to counter it before he has to resort to killing himself." McGonagall added.

"Have you told him of this?" Moody growled, "Lupin, I mean?"

"I have explained it all to him and he is determined to throw off this curse, although he was a little shocked by the news, to say the least."

"When will school be starting again?" Ron's face lit up as he thought of the prospect of a day off.

"Next Monday; fortunately, no-one was killed on the attack tonight thanks to the extra wards I put around the House Towers before I left…but the Fat Lady disappeared as she was scared, causing the wards around Gryffindor Tower to weaken so the more skilled Death Eaters and the Dementors could enter. So, I think we shall need to repair it all and completely re-do it."

"It's about time the students left, don't you think, Headmaster?" Snape scowled, "before the formal meeting…?"

"Indeed, Severus; you will return to the Great Hall while the Gryffindor Tower is repaired. There are sleeping bags waiting and all the other Gryffindor will already be there. Severus, go and ask Poppy to report on any student injuries and we will wait until you have returned before we start the meeting."

"Of course, Headmaster," Severus nodded, then following Harry and the other students out.

"It's not been a good few days for any of the Hogwarts' teachers and students, has it?" Harry grimaced to Hermione and Ron as they walked a little ahead of everyone else.

"Worse for some than others," Ron added, thinking of Lupin and of Pettigrew's silver hand.

"Ronald Weasley, I suggest you be a little more careful about what you say – Dumbledore does not wish for the little…excursion…to be too widely discussed," Snape almost spat in Ron's ear.

Next morning, Hermione visited the library while Harry and Ron were still asleep in their own dorm. She dug out every book she could find that might contain some sort of clue to the Altar of Life and its origin.

"Hermione?"

"Harry – I thought you were still asleep. And I didn't see or hear you come in."

"Invisibility cloak," Harry grinned, "sorry."

"I assume Ronald _is_ still asleep?" Hermione continued, shrugging off the, in her opinion, pointless apology.

"Yeah; so what have you found so far?"

"Plenty, but none of it certified fact. For example, it says in this book that the Altar moves to wherever its Master puts the sacred staff. And to gain control of the Altar, you must find out the password from the previous Master and gain possession of the staff."

"It sounds so far-fetched and ridiculous…" Harry scoffed.

"That's exactly why everyone thought it was mere mythology – why most people _still_ think it is mythology. The Altar was erected in 1077 by a so-called evil wizard whose name is not listed in any of the records. Anyway, he fashioned a staff out of the bones of the craftsman who made the Altar."

"Nice," Harry remarked, stifling laughter.

"Are you going to let me finish?"

"Sorry,"

"Fine; anyway," she glared at Harry meaningfully, "it can bring half-breeds or cursed beings back to life."

"Why not ordinary wizards and witches?"

"Because the wizard who designed it was a half-giant, like Hagrid. He hated anyone and everyone who wasn't a half-breed or curse bearer."

"Wow, talk about weird!"

"It gets worse. Because of how much he wanted fame and glory, this guy bound his spirit to the staff so that when he died, the Altar could continue to help half-breeds everywhere to live on when all other hope seemed lost. And by doing so, whoever is brought back to life by the Altar must obey one favour from the Master of the Altar. And the Master of the Altar is whoever possesses the staff at the time which someone is brought back to life."

"How do they know?"

"They just do; it comes to them in a flash of vision. They won't know who has been brought back but they will know it has happened. They then remain the Master until such time as someone else possesses it at the time of a 'resurrection'. Does that make sense?"

"Kind of – so Lupin is bound to obey one command from Voldemort?"

"Possibly," Hermione hesitated, biting her lip.

"Possibly?" Harry looked up, eyes wide.

"Voldemort may not be the possessor of the staff…Pettigrew could have it. But if Voldemort has it then yes…that is the situation."

"What if Pettigrew is the Master of the staff?"

"Lupin will only obey the order from the Master so in that case it would be Pettigrew's order he would follow."

"And if no-one was holding it at when Lupin was brought back."

"The previous Master will still retain control."

"Then let's hope it's someone who's dead or totally anonymous," Harry chuckled nervously.

"We would be so lucky – but with the bad fortune we've had over the past five and a half years, then that is highly unlikely."

"Shame," Harry grunted in response, sighing miserably and wishing for the millionth time since the start of the year that he could be an ordinary kid for once.

"So this Altar thing is pretty mysterious?" Ron asked, having just been told of what Hermione had found out in the library.

"Big mystery…no-one even knows the name of the guy who made it."

"Whoa, strange," Ron shuddered.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled pensively, "do you want to go and help at Hagrid's?" Hermione asked.

"Ok, whatever," Harry shrugged.

The three students walked down to Hagrid's hut and were shocked by the damage that had been done.

"Hello, 'Arry, Ron, Hermione – wha' brings yeh down here?"

"We just wondered if you needed any help to clear some of the rubble," Hermione replied brightly, receiving a groan from Ron.

"Well, seein' as yeh've come down here then yeh could help clear some of the debris from the forest," Hagrid beamed, setting them to work straight away.

"Have you heard anything from Dumbledore? What happened in the meeting after we left?" Harry asked once they were hard at work.

"I'm afraid I can't tell yeh that – see, it was all about how we're going teh trick you-know-who."

"A plan? Like a trap?"

"I shouldn't have said that…now, listen, you three – yeh can't know everything. It's private Order business."

"Please, Hagrid," Harry pleaded, "I really think we should know – after al, it's bound to involve us, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, it does involve yeh, as a matter of fact, and---" Hagrid cut himself off and hit himself on the forehead, "I shouldn't have said that."

"And does it---"

"No more!" Hagrid interrupted Ron quickly, "I think yeh should go back up to the castle now."

"Not until this last bit of rubble is lifted off the Niffler pen," Hermione stated in her bossy manner.

"Nah, let's go now," Ron stretched lazily.

"Oh come on, Ronald!" Hermione folded her arms and glared at him coldly.

"Fine – but only until the Niffler pen is cleared."

"As long as you're helping," Hermione smiled.

"As long as I'm helping," Ron mimicked her voice, batting his eyelashes and pursing his lips.

"Ronald, please---"

"ATTACK! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"


	21. The Clock is Ticking

**A/N: -** I am so sorry to have to say this – but there will be a character death in this chapter – a major character death – my favourite character ever in any book I have ever read. But I have to do it – and reading the Half-Blood Prince has assured me that it is the right thing to do – for I fear his character is soon to be destroyed anyway, though not by any spell or injury…so here it goes…review for me…and sorry…

**Chapter 21 – The Clock Is Ticking**

"What!" Hermione whipped round anxiously.

"Attack – we're being attacked again?" Harry asked, eyes wide.

"I thought he wasn't going to attack again until he was back to full strength," Ron gasped.

"Clearly not – back in the Castle – NOW!" Hagrid ushered them back as Voldemort's forces mustered outside the school gates.

Bursting into the Great Hall, Dumbledore strode up to the staff table to address the students, flanked by Snape and McGonagall.

"Students, we have come under attack far sooner than we had anticipated. You are all to remain here until we have secured a safe passage out for you. Do not panic and do not leave the Hall as I have placed every defensive spell known to wizard-kind on this Hall and they will keep you safe. Now we must leave you," he strode back out, unaware of the three students following him under the invisibility cloak.

"Stupefy!" an exhausted voice gasped as Harry rounded the corner to see a terrified Ravenclaw boy trembling on the ground as he tried to take down some particularly large Death Eaters.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!_" another voice boomed and the boy dropped to the ground, dead. All but one Death Eater, the one who had used the killing curse, ran off in search of another victim.

"NO!" Hermione squealed, revealing herself to the hooded Death Eater that remained, who then removed his hood and revealed himself to be none other than the thoroughly hated Peter Pettigrew.

"Ah ha!" Pettigrew grinned sadistically, "my first victims – and what victims they are to be."

"Keep. Away. From. Them." A slow and silky voice warned.

"Snivellus, what a very pleasant surprise – I heard you'd gone soft."

"We mean it, Wormtail…harm them and you will pay with your miserable excuse for a life," Lupin stepped up beside Snape, grasping the Potions Master's shoulder to stay steady as he was not really supposed to be up and fighting.

"And Remus, you managed to pull through, I see – well, make no mistake, you won't be surviving this!" Pettigrew made to lunge at Lupin but Snape stepped calmly into his way and barred him from getting to the Defence teacher, who was now by the students and ushering them away swiftly.

"Do you think Snape will be ok?" Hermione asked as they ran.

"For now, that is not your concern," Lupin snapped back uncharacteristically, "now I do not know what you three were doing out of the Great Hall, and I don't really want to know – but I do want to know whether you fully understand how reckless you're being."

"We wanted to help…" Ron trailed off uncertainly.

"By getting yourselves killed and wasting our time when we should be hunting for Voldemort? Oh yes, how helpful," Lupin commented smoothly.

"So what do we do now?" Harry piped up.

"You barricade yourselves in my office – I will find Severus – we were supposed to be tracking something down for Dumbledore. Stay in here," he pushed them into his office, "until Severus and I return."

"But---"

"No buts, Harry – it's you we have to protect here – and battling Pettigrew wasn't part of the plan."

"Sorry," Harry mumbled, sounding slightly bitter.

"Sorry will get you nowhere – what's done is done – don't move," Lupin replied briskly and was gone.

"We can't just stay here!" exclaimed Harry.

"We have to," Hermione shot back, "you saw how mad Lupin was at us – he won't thank us for running off."

"Then you stay here, but I'm going."

"Harry, no!"

"See you guys later – I have a Voldemort to vanquish," Harry grinned determinedly at them and darted out of the room, leaving Ron and Hermione, bewildered, in his wake.

As he wandered through the corridors of the castle, Harry started to feel a little less confident with himself; with every step he took, new doubts, fears and questions raised themselves, forcing him to think of all the possible consequences of his actions. Hogwarts was eerily silent and it unnerved him to the point at which he seriously considered turning on his heels and running back, screaming, to Lupin's office to beg forgiveness from his friends and from Lupin. But his intense pride mixed with his teenage surliness spurred him on and he carried on moving. Swearing as he heard footsteps behind him, he picked up his pace dramatically. His own ragged breathing the only sound, for which he was thankful, he shut his eyes for a couple of seconds. Bad move, he decided afterwards; he ran smack-bang into someone at top speed. Fearing the worst, he opened his eyes.

"Professor Snape!" he gasped, eyes as round as dinner plates as he then turned back to see who was following him through the corridors. Right on cue, the owner of the footsteps skidded round the corner.

"Hello, Harry," Lupin panted, out of breath from the chase.

"Uh-oh…" Harry couldn't meet Lupin's disappointed gaze; he was in for it now.

"Uh-oh indeed," Lupin spoke dryly, "I told you not to go anywhere."

"Nothing happened though, did it?" Harry protested, "And I was being careful!"

"Yes, so careful that you shut your eyes while running and then collided with me," Snape added icily.

"I don't normally agree with Severus, Harry, as well everyone knows, but he has a point. The orders you are given are for your own safety. Voldemort is now in the castle and looking for you. We don't want him to find you."

"Yes, Professor, I understand."

"Lupin," Snape interjected urgently, "he's on his way."

"How did you---" he looked at the Marauders Map, which Snape had snatched off him without him realising and cursed, "We have a problem," Harry gulped. Lupin studied the map carefully,

"We'll have to distract him," he stated calmly.

"What are you going to do?" Harry tried to get his teachers to elaborate.

"Harry, we're going to distract Voldemort and we want you to run. Go to Dumbledore's office and, for Merlin's sake, stay there!"

"What will happen to you?" he looked from one to the other. Snape was sporting a bloody nose from his fight with Pettigrew and Lupin was already weak anyway from not being fully recovered by a long shot from the incident at Voldemort's lair.

"I don't know…" was Lupin's half-thoughtful, half-worried reply. Harry drew out his wand miserably. This was all his fault; all because of him. If he had followed orders and not left the Great Hall then they wouldn't be in this situation.

Sure enough, three minutes later, Voldemort, Pettigrew and a hooded Death Eater came charging round the corner.

"First things first; I believe I am owed a favour," Voldemort greeted them silkily, glaring at Lupin and holding up a staff. Both werewolf and Potions Master looked almost terrified at what was about to happen, "Remus Jonathan Lupin, by the powers of the staff I command you to bring me Harry Potter!"

"No…" Harry whispered to himself as Lupin took a step towards him. But, to his surprise, the werewolf stepped in front of him and whirled back round to face Voldemort.

"No," he snorted, "never."

"But you – the curse – you – ugh!" he threw the staff at Pettigrew, who caught it.

"Master, call the Servants of the Dais – I'm sure they would love that," an excited Pettigrew squeaked to his Master, practically bouncing up and down on the spot. Turning to the Death Eater, he barked, "I order you to take the staff!"

"Ok," was the reply but it came from Lupin, "you fool," the werewolf laughed, "you gave an order and you possessed the staff when I was saved by the Altar," he snatched the staff from Pettigrew and set fire to it with his wand, "it's over."

"PETTIGREW!" Voldemort roared, "SERVANTS OF THE DAIS – COME FORTH TO MY AID – ALL TO THE GROUNDS OF HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY…all save for the most recent, who shall be bound to me…"

"Now you'll see true power, Moony," Pettigrew spoke in a voice that could almost have been friendly.

"I serve thee, Master, command me as you see fit," a familiar voice spoke as a figure materialised in front of them.

"Padfoot! Sirius! It's not possible!" Lupin gasped, now moving towards Sirius, who stood between Pettigrew and Voldemort.

"How fitting, Remus that you are to be killed by those you once called friends. Get him," Voldemort cackled. Pettigrew needed no telling twice but Sirius stood rigid, watching the proceedings, and Harry could have sworn he saw a faint glimmer of reluctance in Sirius' otherwise blank eyes. Peter was trying to wrestle Lupin to the ground but his silver hand was still gloved and so Lupin, easily stronger than Wormtail, threw him off without effort and pulled himself up, running over to Sirius.

"Sirius?"

"Sorry…Remus…" Sirius' pained voice answered.

"What---" Lupin was cut short as Sirius rugby tackled him to the floor. Snape was standing between Voldemort and Harry, keeping half an eye on the other fight but deciding Lupin, even in his current state, could handle it for the while.

"Sirius…" Harry's voice cracked as he watched Sirius and Lupin tearing each other apart. His Dad's two best friends in the whole world were turned on each other. Getting Sirius in a headlock, Lupin caught his breath and tried to break through to his friend,

"Padfoot, listen to me! You can beat this! Harry needs you! And what about Wormtail? We were supposed to destroy him together – you and me together were going to kill him!"

"R…Remus…" Sirius shuddered.

"No!" Pettigrew barrelled into the unsuspecting Lupin and pinned him down, his silver hand now visible and tightly around the werewolf's neck. Meanwhile, Sirius was fighting and beginning to break free. The mist in his eyes cleared at last as he saw his Godson's horrified face and visible terror, Voldemort's glee and the cause of both; his last remaining best friend was dying. Lupin was scrabbling desperately against Pettigrew's grip but to no avail. Freeing himself once and for all, Sirius let out a ferocious battle-cry and leapt in to haul Pettigrew off of his lycanthropic friend.

The Death Eater now had hold of Harry from behind but Snape still remained between them and Voldemort, blocking all the hexes and curses sent his way. Harry was focussed on his Godfather, still in shock at his return. Raising his wand, the Death Eater took aim at the oblivious Snape who whipped round just in time to block the attack, then finding himself drawn into one-on-one combat with the Death Eater, leaving Harry in a face-off with Voldemort.

"_Crucio!_" Voldemort shrieked with manic laughter as Harry fell to his knees. A few moments later, he released the boy from the curse, moving forward and grasping Harry's wrist, preparing to flee.

"_Expelliarmus!_" a new voice joined the fray, disarming Voldemort in the blink of an eye. Sighing in relief, Harry craned his neck to look at the newcomer and acknowledge them, only to discover that it was McGonagall and Dumbledore, the latter of which was now in a heated duel with you-know-who himself, McGonagall going to his aid soon after.

Ten minutes passed and the battles, all three of them, were still raging. Snape was winning by a long shot against the Death Eater and was preparing to deal out the final blow to him. The Death Eater took a moment where Snape appeared distracted by Voldemort to aim at Harry and Snape took his chance,

"_Avada Kedavra!_" a flash of blinding green light caught its target full on in the face; the Death Eater went limp – dead.

McGonagall and Dumbledore were still fighting Voldemort and Harry was left on the sidelines, still recovering from the Cruciatus curse. He saw that Sirius had been stunned and Lupin was struggling to breathe, on the floor and at Pettigrew's mercy. The rat-like man raised a dagger triumphantly, readying himself to bring it down when he was seized roughly from behind and had both his dagger and his wand wrestled off him by Professor Severus Snape, whose greasy, curtain-like black hair framed a flushed and furious face.

"I thought you hated the Marauders, Snivellus,and "sneered Pettigrew coldly," what happened?"

"I did hate them – but I hate you more than I ever hated them!" spat Snape softly in the struggling Pettigrew's ear.

"Letting me kill him would be merciful, you know – he's dying anyway. You know as well as I do that he has a matter of minutes to live. What heroism is there in prolonging the agony?" Pettigrew's sly words snaked deep into Snape's conscience and he wavered, with a glance down to the pale and bloody form of Lupin, but he wavered only for a second.

"Black deserves to say goodbye," he growled in response, tightening his grip and twisting one of Pettigrew's arms so viciously that Harry thought her heard a click. The balding man screwed up his nose in pain and squealed quietly.

Dumbledore and McGonagall had Voldemort occupied and Harry, now pretty much recovered, could afford to look round to where Snape had hold of Pettigrew, but his eyes were soon drawn elsewhere…

Sirius groaned as he sat up and blinked, his fuzzy mind clearing slowly as he came round. He grinned lopsidedly at Harry but Harry's gaze was not directed at him – it was at something behind him. Turning in confusion, Sirius saw Lupin leaning against a wall and struggling to breathe, clutching his throat, which had swollen. His eyes were pleading with Sirius and the now pale-faced friend scrambled over and took hold of the werewolf's shuddering shoulders. He could tell that Lupin's time was fast running out.

"C'mon, Moony, stay with me here – you can't just leave me when I finally break free!" his voice trembled as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Padfoot, I---"

"Sssh, save what strength you have left for staying with us until we can get you to the hospital wing, ok?" Sirius attempted to grin and Harry felt a stab of pain in his heart and thought he saw the ghost of a smile flicker across his Defence teacher's face, albeit briefly.

"Padfoot, we both know I won't make it out of this one – I've…I've been too lucky already this year," Lupin gasped, running a shaking hand through his blood-matted brown hair and across his now ashen face.

"You're talking rubbish, Remus," Sirius laughed mirthlessly, sounding slightly hysteric, the laugh of someone with no hope. Lupin winced as a raspy breath caught in his throat and made his breathing even shallower, "Remus Jonathan Lupin, I swear to God that if you die on me then I will personally kill you!"

"How does that…work?" Lupin genuinely seemed to laugh faintly, raising an eyebrow as a shadow of his former self lit within him and surfaced.

"See? Sounding like your normal self again already! Oh come on, Remus, you know how much trouble me and James would have got in – well how much _more_ trouble we would have been in – if you hadn't been around to get us out, and sometimes in, to it, even after we left Hogwarts," Sirius racked his brain for anything to keep his friend distracted from the prospect of death, "remember the time we accidentally used Lily's best dress as a changing mat for Harry and spilt the contents of the nappy all over it?"

"She went ballistic…" Lupin trailed off.

"And do you remember how you kept her occupied for five hours while we bought an outfit identical to the one we destroyed?"

"Yeah," Lupin's voice was becoming more and more distant and his eyes were beginning to cloud over.

"No…please, Moony, don't do this to me," the distraught Sirius was fighting back a river of tears, "I lost Lily and James to this piece of scum," he jabbed a finger in Pettigrew's direction, "I can't lose you too – what would I do?"

"You'd still have Harry," Lupin answered.

Harry made to go to Sirius at this point but Snape's hand on his shoulder held him back and Harry twisted round to face the surprisingly weary looking teacher,

"Leave them be," he sighed, "Lupin hasn't got long left."

"How long?" Harry asked in a voice barely audible. He could have sworn he saw a glimmer of sadness on Snape's features as he replied.

"Not long…not long now…"

"But I need you here too – Merlin, Remus, I've got so many things to repay and make up for: the time I almost got you _and_ Snape killed; the times you've got me out of a tight spot, of which there have been many; the incident before I knew you had Lycanthropy when I bought you a silver chain for your birthday and made you wear it – you were so ill and none of us knew why; the time when we first found out you were a werewolf and I completely over-reacted; the time in our seventh---"

"Sirius, stop," Lupin cut him off, "you owe me nothing – those experiences are all an important part of my history and I wouldn't…" he winced but forced himself to continue, "Wouldn't give them up for the world; not even for the chance to be normal."

"You don't mean that," Sirius was now starting to cry a little, tears cutting distinctive pathways down his cheeks through the blood and grime that was caked on his entire body.

"I do mean it…every word of it…listen, Padfoot, you have been the best friend I could've asked for over the years and…and it almost killed me when we…thought you were dead. But now…now you have Harry, who you have to look after…and you have to…to keep going…" Lupin's words were becoming more and more disjointed as he fought harder and harder for breath.

"Moony, no, don't leave me," Sirius clutched at one of Lupin's already frozen hands and tried in vain to warm it.

"I'm sorry, Padfoot, I really am…take care…and don't be…too reckless," he managed a small grin, "after all – I can't have---" he choked on his words and broke into a violent coughing fit. Sirius, now sobbing freely, pulled his friend into a tight hug, which was returned weakly for a few seconds. But after a few long moments, Lupin stopped shaking, stopped coughing, stopped breathing, and was still.

"Please…no…" Sirius pleaded softly, laying his friend gently down on the stone floor, still grasping one of the werewolf's icy hands in both of his own. There was no denying it now, and no turning back time, and no chance of a miracle; Remus Jonathan Lupin was dead.

Snape bowed his head and a silent tear snaked a solitary wet streak down his face, dripping off his chin and onto the floor. Pettigrew sniffed loudly, causing Sirius to gradually raise his head, letting go of Lupin's hand, a new fire in his eyes. Snatching the dagger off of Snape before the Potions Master could react, he plunged it into Pettigrew's abdomen with all the force he could muster.

"You low-life! You killed him – one of the only people that ever actually liked you back in school and you've killed him! You know how much he meant to me! You scum! And now you're going to pay!" he stabbed Pettigrew over and over, again and again, even after the man was dead and crumpled on the floor, until he could continue no longer and fell to his knees. Harry began to shuffle forwards to him but Snape got there first and hauled the distressed Sirius to his feet, holding the man up as he seemed to have lost the will to stand by himself.

"I'm sorry, Black," Snape mumbled.

"He didn't deserve to die…"

"I know,"

"He endured so much…"

"I know,"

"And I could have helped…"

"No-one could have helped. Not even the most skilled witch or wizard."

"What about the Altar?" Harry piped up, hope surfacing evidently as Sirius' eyes also lit up.

"The staff was destroyed – it cannot function unless the staff is whole," Snape crushed the final hope.

"I can't believe he's gone," choked Sirius, pulling Harry into a tight embrace, "the only close friend I had left – now I'm the last Marauder."

"It'll be ok," Harry soothed, not knowing what else to do. But he couldn't say more as Voldemort grabbed him from behind and threw down some sort of Smoke Bomb, fleeing and taking Harry with him.

Harry found himself in the middle of the Quidditch pitch facing Voldemort. He whirled round as he heard McGonagall, Dumbledore, Sirius and Snape yelling angrily as they ran from the castle. Snape was warding off Death Eaters but was stunned from behind and McGonagall was forced to take him up to the hospital wing. Harry and Voldemort were firing hexes at each other in a mad haze of flashing lights and sparks. Voldemort momentarily froze Harry but Dumbledore soon freed him and the fight continued. Sirius was now the one warding off Death Eaters that were swarming to help their Master. He was killing them mechanically, without a second thought.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" but the voice was not Sirius. Harry had fired it at Voldemort but it hit a Death Eater who threw himself in front and when the light cleared Voldemort himself had vanished; fled in fear.

"Harry, are you ok?" Dumbledore rushed forward and took him by the shoulders, making to steer him back up to the castle, "I should have warned you – a mere killing curse will not be successful in a normal battle situation while there are some willing to die to protect him. Come on,"

"No…Sirius needs help. I can manage fine – he, however, is nowhere near fine."

"Neither are you – and Sirius is a grown man."

"Doesn't make a difference – he's still hurting from Professor Lupin's death."

"I mean, in the physical fight. SIRIUS, WE'RE GOING!" bellowed Dumbledore to the other man, who nodded woodenly in return.

The three traipsed back up to the castle and, while Dumbledore tried to take them up to the hospital wing, Sirius headed off back towards the corridor. Harry followed, but noticed as he passed the Defence classroom that the door was open. Venturing inside, he found Ron and Hermione running up to him, anxious and distressed.  
"Harry, Sirius is mental," Ron stated bluntly, "he's raiding the office for something and won't tell us what it is."

"He's just sobbing and won't talk and is muttering incoherently to himself."

"You'd better show me," Harry followed them and found Sirius raiding one of Lupin's trunks, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Sirius, come on, pull yourself together. He didn't react like this when he thought you'd died."

"He promised not to. I left him a letter, in case I died, telling him to keep a brave face and not to do anything rash in front of you or the Order. And he's always bottled up his feelings anyway…"

"That explains it…" Harry sighed, a lump forming in his throat.

"Um, Sirius, mate," Ron interrupted, "I don't think Professor Lupin will approve of this,"

"I thought I'd find yeh here. Dumbledore said there were three bodies in the 'allway to collect and I heard yeh talking and --- Sirius Black? Yeh're dead – this can't be happening, can it? Wait a moment, wha's wrong?"

"Hagrid, there's something you should see. Sirius, you coming?" Harry asked. Sirius nodded and abandoned his search for the while and followed solemnly, head bowed, now crying silently with the occasional sniff, having finally composed himself.

The first body was that of the Death Eater and Hagrid scowled at it, using his pink umbrella to levitate it. The next was that of Pettigrew, blood everywhere and stab marks all over his body, face contorted in agony. Sirius growled and balled his fists; Ron grimaced in disgust.

"Yuck, who did that to him?"

"Not even he deserved to die like that," Hermione added softly, pity almost showing in her voice.

"I agree – a nasty way to go, if you ask me – and a pretty heartless way to kill someone. It's like whoever did it wanted to cause pain," Ron scowled at the body. Sirius was trembling, unable to control his boiling and seething rage any longer.

"Heartless? So I'm heartless! What about him and how much pain he's caused? His death was quick and he deserved it!"

"_You_ did this?" Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Why?" Ron murmured.

"Why?" Sirius echoed, "I'll show you why – follow me," he marched round the closest corner and the others followed.

"Merlin's beard…" Hagrid gasped hoarsely at the sight that greeted him.

"No, but --- but that means --- Pettigrew killed him?" Hermione choked on her words. It should have been more a statement than a question but Sirius nodded slowly anyway.

"Sirius, mate, I'm so sorry," Ron put a hand on Sirius' shoulder but the man shrugged it off. Hagrid let the levitated body of the Death Eater drop to the ground and bent over to gently lift the limp body of Remus Lupin.

"We'd better take 'im up to the hospital wing," Hagrid sighed, "the Order will want teh see 'im."

"The staff is gone…I mean, the fragments are gone." Sirius looked round but then moved to Hagrid, "let's go – leave these bits of scum for Filch to clean up." He left with Hagrid, leaving the three students trailing in their wake.

"Poor Sirius," Ron sniffed a little.

"Harry, are you ok?" Hermione asked gently.

"It was awful, Hermione – not like the killing curse, where it's instant. It seemed to take so long and it looked like it was unbearably painful – and then I couldn't even kill Voldemort – he got away…"

"Harry, come on, you're in shock – let's follow Sirius and Hagrid."

When the exhausted group burst into the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey rushed over and began bustling around them, as was her nature. She had been told of Sirius' return but not of the death of Lupin and so she instructed Hagrid to lay Lupin on the nearest bed, intending to treat him, but when she saw Sirius' face she looked back at the werewolf. Taking a few cautious steps over, she reached out with trembling fingers and held them to his throat, leaping backwards with a shriek. She led them to the far end of the hospital wing and Lupin was led on the bed reverently. Sirius sat down in a chair and Madame Pomfrey started checking him over and trying to get him to take some sort of Dreamless Sleep Potion or at least something for the shock and to calm him down. But he refused everything he was offered, turning his nose up in revulsion.

"Sirius Black, you will at least drink some water," she pushed a glass into his hand and he reluctantly drank it, unaware of the fact that it had a sleeping draught in it. Within moments, he was asleep, holding onto one of Lupin's hands and with his head resting on the edge of the bed. Harry took a woollen blanket from the end of another bed and draped it over his Godfather while Hagrid used another to cover Lupin's body so only his head and shoulders were visible.

The members of the Order burst through the door about half an hour later and, after having the story of Sirius' return hastily explained, instantly rushed to where Sirius was still asleep. Madame Pomfrey had suggested moving Sirius to an actual bed but, when it came to it, she didn't have the heart to carry it through.

"Sirius? Remus?" Mr. Weasley moved forward.

"Are they going to be ok?" Tonks asked, frowning in concern.

"Sirius is in shock and incredibly distressed with a few minor injuries," Madame Pomfrey explained but noticed Mrs. Weasley heading round the other side of the bed, eyes fixed on the motionless Lupin, "no, Mrs. Weasley, I wouldn't do that," she protested but could only watch helplessly as Mrs. Weasley led a hand across Lupin's forehead.

"He's freezing," she spoke softly, taking up the hand Sirius didn't have hold of, "ice cold, almost like he's…" she broke off as she realised what was happening. She desperately felt for a pulse before screeching and crying out in despair and dropping his hand.

"Dead?" Moody growled, keeping his voice carefully steady.

"I'm afraid so,"

"How did Sirius take it?" Tonks bit her lip as she fought back tears, turning her eyes woefully to her cousin.

"Not good," Harry piped up, "I was there when it happened – he was, and still is, inconsolable."

"Oh, poor Sirius," Mrs. Weasley sniffed, blowing her nose.

"Was it…quick?" Tonks gulped.

"I wish I could say yes. But it was dreadfully sow – Pettigrew finally succeeded in getting the 'upper hand', as it were, but Sirius broke free of Voldemort's control, and---"

"We were told of Sirius' return," Moody nodded.

"But it was too late. If Snape hadn't stopped Pettigrew bringing the dagger down then Sirius wouldn't even have had time enough to say goodbye," Harry had to stop. Of the Order members that were present, over half of them were dabbing at their eyes while Mrs. Weasley, Tonks and Ginny, who had just arrived in time to hear the story, were forced to sit down from the shock of the news. Fred and George were shaking their head and also then had to take a seat.

"So young – criminal, ain't it, Pomfrey?" Moody wrung his gnarled his hands, his magical eye still glued to Sirius and Lupin.

"Criminal indeed, Alastor,"

"How is Black?" Snape's silky voice joined the group.

"Not good, Severus,"

"I have to admit that it was not a pleasant event to witness," Snape muttered. For all the hatred he held for the Marauders, he would not have wished such a painful death on any of them.

Hours later, Sirius came round to find Dumbledore stood beside him.

"Sirius, Remus' body is gone."

"Gone? Whaddaya mean 'gone'?" Sirius slurred his words drowsily.

"I mean, taken – gone. Taken by someone – the same person that took the fragments of the staff."

"What! Why? How?" Sirius was fully alert now and fully aware that his dead friend's body was no longer there.

"I think it was someone whom I thought to be dead – the wizard who made the Altar – the staff was destroyed and his spirit was released and I suspect he found a body to use and has gone to try and bring Remus back to use as ransom, but I doubt it will work."

And somewhere deep in the forest, a blinding white light erupted from a stone Altar, a man stood beside it.

"Once again, a new player is in the mix, and the 'half-breeds' will rise and have justice!"

**A/N: -** Think Lupin's alive? I warn you, think carefully – think again…and review.


End file.
